AN: And credit for this title goes to SuniGyrl, whose comment in one of her reviews inspired it, hehe.

And in advance: "mon coeur" is "my heart"

Chapter 13: Apparently it's One-Touchable After All

After breakfast the following morning, the group prepared and departed for their picnic. Bobby was put in charge of the food while everyone else carried plates, cups and utensils. Together they headed down the path to the stream, and from there walked along the bank upstream.

"Wow," said Kitty at one point. "It's fairly hot today. Wouldn't have expected it to get this hot so soon after a storm."

"It happens," Gambit replied nonchalantly.

Gambit's hand was in Rogue's and they walked slightly ahead of Bobby and Kitty.

"Oh dat's somet'ing else I should show yo'," he said. "Rajah's den isn't very far from the waterfall. We should check it out."

"Is that safe?" Kitty asked tentatively.

"I'm not suggesting we go in dere and ask t' borrow a cup o' sugar," Gambit said dryly. "Actually, we're just as likely t' bump int' Rajah at the waterfall. I've seen him swimming in the pool."

"And you're suggesting we go there?"

"You're not afraid o' a big ol' kitty-cat are yo' Chaton? Relax, if he's not swimming, he'll probably be asleep. He only hunts at night. Personally, I t'ink dat's his favourite hobby."

"Hunting?"

"Sleeping."

"Typical cat," Bobby said with a grin.

"I just happen to have a great deal of respect for the feline species," Kitty said. "For one thing, have you seen the size of their claws?"

"Sure," Gambit replied. "Wolverine's puts dem to shame though. Now dere's a fellow wit' big claws all right."

The trek upstream was much longer than Kitty had anticipated and she kept looking at the water in the stream and thinking about how much she would just love to dive in there right about now. After what seemed like forever in the heat, they heard the sound of falling water. They walked around the bend and Rogue gave a low whistle.

"Given the lack of height this island has, that's a pretty impressive waterfall," Rogue mused.

"Enjoy it while yo' can," Gambit advised. It'll die down in a couple o' days."

"So, where am I putting this stuff?" Bobby asked.

"Just over there," Gambit said as he pointed to where he usually put his things when he came here.

"You know something?" Kitty said. "I'm hot and sweaty and we've been living together for like, a month in the same clothes. I'm going swimming."

And on that note, Kitty phased out of her outer clothing and made a beeline for the pool of water just off to the side of where the water flowed into the stream. She climbed down into the water wearing nothing but her underwear. Gambit wandered over to Bobby, put his fingers under Bobby's chin and lifted his jaw back up.

"Don't get too excited, mon ami," Gambit teased him in a low voice.

Bobby flushed and pulled his head away. Gambit smirked.

"I might join yo' fo' dat swim, Chaton. Roguey?"

Rogue considered thoughtfully, then took out her communicator and put it down on a nearby rock.

"Sure," she said.

"Uniform?" Gambit asked dubiously.

"Stays on, sugah. With one Ah'll risk it 'cause Ah only have ta look out for one person. Not for three."

"Oh really? I'll keep dat in mind for our next date."

"Frisky boy," Rogue replied.

Before long, all four of them were in the pool, three in only underwear.

"One t'ing about dis weather," Gambit said. "Least yo' shouldn't have any problems getting dry, chere."

"Indeed," Rogue replied.

"Ahh," Kitty sighed as she floated on her back. "This is nice. Nice and cool."

"Hmm?" Bobby said. "Oh, yeah, yeah it is."

Gmabit snickered and Rogue rolled her eyes.

"Bobby, stop staring at me," Kitty frowned at him.

"Oh, uhh, sorry. I didn't mean to. I, umm..." Bobby stammered. "Who wants to play Marco Polo?"

"Maybe later. Right now I just want to enjoy the water."

Gambit swam right up close to Rogue and slipped his arms around her waist from behind.

"Ooh," Rogue gasped in surprise and turned her head to look at Gambit. "Hello back there."

Gambit kissed her shoulder.

"There are certain advantages t' yo' being clothed in here, chere," he said.

"Try not ta get too close, Swamp Rat. I wouldn't want ya ta end up a Drowned Rat."

Gambit chuckled and swam around in front of her.

"Can't have dat."

"No, no we can't."

Gambit smiled and Rogue put her hands on his shoulders. Then they both got doused as a wave of water, courtesy of Kitty, splashed over them.

"Get a room," she teased.

"Roguey?" Gambit said as he turned his head to look at Kitty.

"Yes, Remy?"

"I t'ink I just found us a drowned rat."

Kitty squealed as Gambit proceeded to splash her with water. It was all over after that. All four of them started splashing and dunking each other under the water.

After awhile the four returned to shore. It was hot enough that they all dried in about two minutes - including Rogue, uniform and all. They dressed and enjoyed a cool lunch of fruit and water, chilled to perfection by Bobby.

"So, who wants to visit Rajah?" Gambit asked once the were done eating.

"You sure it's safe?" Kitty asked. "There is a reason why they keep them in enclosed exhibits in the zoo, y'know."

"Told yo'. Sleeping. C'mon, dis way."

They left their things where they were and Gambit carefully lead the way to Rajah's den.

"Dere yo' go, Kitty," Gambit said softly, gesturing to the nearby deer. "Even the deer have more guts dan yo'. And dat's the cave dere."

Kitty poked out her tongue and blew raspberries at him. Gambit chuckled softly and peered into the cave.

"What did I tell yo'? He's sleeping."

"You can see him?" Bobby asked.

"Oui," Gambit said with a nod, then grinned. "Oh right, I forgot yo' can't see in the dark. Anyway, Rajah's all curled up and fast asleep. Lazy furball."

"Lazy, he says," Kitty said dryly.

"Hey, in this heat I can't blame him," Bobby said.

Gambit took them on the long way back to the waterfall. None of them had any luck identifying any other possible foods. Once back at the waterfall, Kitty decided she wanted to go for another swim before heading back. Bobby was all for that idea.

"Feel like going fo' a climb, chere?" Gambit asked.

Rogue shrugged.

"Sure," she said.

"Oh well..." Kitty said.

"Why don't yo' and Bobby have your swim and head back at your leisure?" Gambit suggested. "I don't really feel like another swim right now."

"Okay sure," Bobby said.

"Whoever leaves first should take our things," Rogue advised.

"Sounds reasonable," Kitty nodded. "Okay, well, I guess we'll either meet you guys back here or at the camp."

"Oui," Gambit nodded. "Have fun."

Gambit and Rogue headed towards the rock face and Gambit started leading Rogue up while Bobby and Kitty stripped down for their second swim. The way up took about a good twenty minutes, but it wasn't particularly steep and they weren't exactly rushing to get there.

Finally they reached the top. Behind them was a surprisingly shallow stream of water that fell into the pool below. What really took Rogue's breath away, however, was the view before her. She could see the stream winding into the forest. She could see the coast and beyond that, the sea. There was green everywhere.

"Wow," she breathed.

"Oui," Gambit replied softly. "Dat's what I thought."

For a time there was silence while Rogue took in the panorama. Gambit put his hands on Rogue's shoulders, turned her around and pointed.

"I'm not completely sure," he said, "because t'ings look different from up here, but I t'ink dat's our camp over there."

Rogue looked to where he was pointing and noted a small clearing amongst the trees.

"That's quite a walk," she observed.

"Indeed."

They sat down on the rock and Rogue leaned into Gambit. He put his arm around her waist and rested his hand on her hip.

"You're right," Rogue said after a time.

"O' course I am. What was I right about?"

Rogue chuckled.

"This is the most romantic view of the island," she said.

"Glad yo' like it," Gambit replied.

He turned his head to look at her and when Rogue realised she was being stared at, she smiled and caught his eyes.

"A belle view t' share wit' a belle femme," he said.

"What am Ah doing up here then?"

"Because you're the most beautiful o' dem all."

"Charmer. You probably say that ta all the girls."

"No, only yo'."

Rogue smiled and sighed contentedly. They stayed up there for some time, occasionally speaking but mostly just enjoying each other's company. Despite the heat of the day, it began to cool down and Gambit increased his energy generation in response, keeping himself comfortable.

"Probably should get going soon," Rogue said.

"Oui."

Neither bother to stand up, although Gambit did lift his arm from her waist, resting his hand on her shoulder.

"Do ya suppose Bobby managed ta keep the drooling down?" Rogue asked.

Gambit snickered, his fingers rubbing her shoulder delicately but firmly.

"Don't know chere," he said. "Hmm, I hope dey've already left. Don't have any leftover fish and it's a bit of a trek."

"Yeah."

More silence followed.

"We ever gonna get up?" Rogue asked.

"In a minute," Gambit replied.

A minute or so later, Gambit started to draw his hand back. His fingers slid across her uniform, up and over where it covered her neck and then grazed her cheek as Rogue turned her head. Both sat stock still, Gambit's bare fingers lingering on Rogue's skin and still completely conscious. Slowly, Gambit pressed his whole hand to her cheek all too keenly aware of her shock/confusion and feeling her increasing desire/wanting as he ran his thumb over her lips.

At that point it was all over. Rogue and Gambit's lips met in a titanic clash. Rogue wrapped her arms over his shoulders and Gambit's free hand moved to her lower back, pressing her closer. His tongue ran over her lips, seeking entrance and Rogue obliged, if tentatively, her wanting overwhelming her nervousness.

"Yay Rogue!"

"No, no, no! Get off her!"

"Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Go me. Go me."

"But... I didn't think you could control your powers?"

"Ooh la la, kissy kissy."

"Rogue, stop kissing Gambit. He's no good."

"Go the tongue action."

"I don't understand how this is possible."

"Wow, is he a good kisser or what?"

"Rogue, seriously, stop kissing this guy. You know he's just going to use you like every other woman."

"I will not."

"Suuuure. Who are you trying to kid?"

"Would you guys just shut up? I'm trying to enjoy the moment here."

Gambit sensed Rogue's annoyance and pulled back slightly. Breathlessly, they looked at each other.

"Chere?" he inquired tentatively.

"It's not you. The peanut gallery won't shut up."

"Ahh. Bet Logan's thrilled."

"Oh he's delighted. Not. Your psyche's doing a little happy dance though."

Gambit laughed.

"Ah don't get it," Rogue said. "Ah don't understand why Ah'm not absorbing you."

"Mebbe the way you've been using your powers has - " Gambit cut himself off and frowned. "No, wait. Yo' are absorbing me, chere."

"Ah am?"

Gambit nodded.

"Oui," he said. "I can feel my energy being siphoned."

Rogue started to pull away but Gambit held her firm.

"O' course," Gambit said, his voice filled with awe. "Yo' absorb energy. I generate it."

"But Ah've absorbed you before," Rogue pointed out.

"On purpose. I knew in advance so I turned my generation level down because I didn't know if leaving it up would be a problem or not. I'm barely at half my capacity right now. Are yo' getting anyt'ing o' moi? Memories?"

For a moment Rogue was silent.

"No," she said finally. "And now that ya mention it, Ah think Ah can feel the pull."

"I'm generating faster dan yo' can absorb."

"So Ah can touch you."

"I want t' try somet'ing..."

"What?"

"Just want t' see at what point yo' start t' absorb moi..."

Degree by degree Gambit began dropping his generating level. Rogue caught her breath sharply as she felt the moment when Gambit wasn't quite generating enough energy and she pulled his hand away from her cheek. Gambit shook his head, brushing off the brief dizziness.

"A third," he said. "If I keep it above a third, we can touch."

Gambit put his generation level back up and his eyes caught Rogue's. Rogue had absorbed enough of Gambit to borrow his empathy once again and she felt his amazement/desire/lust? No, not lust, something else she couldn't quite identify. Her thoughts were distracted, however, when their lips met for the second time that afternoon. While their tongues tangled, Gambit pulled off Rogue's gloves, dropping them to the ground and pressing her hands to his chest. His own hands slipped around her waist. As her hands ran over his skin she felt Gambit respond empathically. She felt his want/desire increase and was even able to gauge his like and dislike to find out what he enjoyed her hands doing.

Because the touch had been so brief and fine Gambit never noticed any loss in his empathy. He felt her delight as she touched him in all the ways he liked best. He fed off her excitement at actually being able to touch another person, skin to skin. He dared to move his own hands northward and shifted them back down again when he felt her stab of discomfort which shifted into amusement when she obviously realised he responding to empathic feedback.

By the time the empathy dissolved from Rogue, she learned exactly how he liked to be kissed and continued to do so as she slid into his lap.

Eventually they pulled away once more, each breathing heavily. Gambit's fingers pressed into her while Rogue's hands traced along his collar bones.

"Rogue."

"Yeah?"

"Yo' are sharing the bed wit' me t'night."

Rogue laughed.

"I'm serious," Gambit said with a nod. "I refuse t' go another night wit'out yo' in my arms. Besides yo' can't seriously want t' continue sharing a room with Iceboy?"

"Iceboy is right. He has this annoying tendency ta freeze things in his sleep," Rogue replied.

"See? If you're wit' me yo' won't have that problem."

Rogue chuckled softly and began to get up.

"C'mon," she said. "We should go."

"Oui."

Gambit got up as well, and Rogue picked up her gloves and put them back on before she forgot and left them behind. The trip back down was faster and there was no sign of Kitty or Bobby when they got to the bottom.

"Least dey remembered t' take our t'ings," Gambit observed.

"Oh good," Rogue replied. "Now we don't have ta carry anything."

"Indeed."

Gambit kissed her lips sweetly and then took her hand for the walk back.

"So," he said. "Did yo' want t' tell dem or see how long it takes fo' dem t' figure it out?"

Rogue giggled.

"Y'know something?" she said. "Ah can barely believe it muhself. Ah keep thinking Ah'm gonna wake up and discover this has all been a bizarre dream."

"If dis is a dream chere, den we're both sharing it, and I hope we don't wake up."

"Aww shucks."

Gambit snickered and Rogue grinned at him.

"It's about time you two got back," Kitty scolded as Gambit and Rogue stepped back into camp. "We were getting worried and starting to wonder if we should come looking."

Bobby looked up from the cooking fish.

"Way past curfew," he said. "You'll be lucky if we ever let you take Rogue out again."

"Psh," Rogue dismissed. "It's barely after sunset. It's not even close to midnight."

"Having some luck wit' the stone knives after all, Iceboy?" Gambit asked.

"It took some doing," Bobby nodded sagely. "But we were hungry."

Gambit chuckled as he sat down with Rogue on the tree stump.

"I shall remember dis fo' future reference: next time I don't want t' cook, stay away from camp long enough fo' everyone else t' get hungry."

"Almost done," Kitty said happily. "Man, I never thought the day would come when I looked forward to having fish for the millionth time."

"It was only a matter of time," Gambit said. "I t'ink you're right, ma chere, dis place needs a nice, paved patio."

"Well, we have plenty of small leftover bits of rock from the renovation," Rogue commented.

"Dis could work. Sure beats trying to sit on chairs dat insist on trying t' sink int' the mud."

"Yes, yes it does."

"Aww man," Bobby said. "Not another project."

"Hey, yo' need projects," Gambit insisted. "The alternative is t' go mad."

"It keeps you occupied and provides you with variety in life," Rogue agreed. "This is why people who retire young usually get bored and start taking up bad habits like drugs or turn to crime to entertain themselves. Or maybe extreme sports."

"Hmm," Gambit considered. "Young retirees turning to crime fo' entertainment, hien chere? Y'know, I could retire any time I want... does dis mean I'm going t' turn t' law enforcement?"

Rogue laughed.

"Ah think that depends if you wanted to retire, Swamp Rat," Rogue said. "Ah'm just saying, y'know, for people who make it big young and everyone's all 'hey you can do anything you want' about them. Instead of finding something worthwhile to do they try to find ways of making them feel alive, Ah guess. Take up breaking the law just ta see if they can get away with it."

"Sounds like a worthwhile endeavour t' moi."

"Says the career criminal."

"I could be biased, but den I suppose I am one o' the ones who Ican/I get away wit' it," Gambit replied. "Y'know, chere, it's possible all those jaded young retirees and other amateur t'ieves make t'ings easy fo' the pros like moi. The cops get so preoccupied chasing the ones they can actually catch dey don't even notice what the rest of us are doing. Or dey do, and just decide t' go after the easy target instead."

"Could be, could be."

"Not'ing like cannon fodder t' keep the authorities occupied, no?"

"You're quite pleased with yourself, aren't ya?"

"I t'ink it's good t' have pride in your work."

Rogue shook her head.

"Ah kinda hate that you're a thief, Remy. But then the X-men are all moochers, so are we really any better?" Rogue said.

"We're not moochers," Kitty objected.

"Kitty, the X-men are funded by Professor Xavier's inheritance and investments. We live in a freaking mansion with state of the art equipment. Not ta mention that the last time the school had ta be rebuilt, Warren's father foot the bill," Rogue paused and glanced at Gambit. "You didn't hear that."

Gambit chuckled.

"And what do we do all day?" Rogue went on. "Sure, we keep an eye on human/mutant affairs and train, but the rest of the time we just muck around. Seriously, there's only one student at the school at the moment, so one has to wonder why we even bother describing it as a school. Moochers, the lot of us. So maybe Remy steals the fruits of other people's labour, but he at least works for it."

"How hard could it be to steal stuff?" Bobby asked.

"Not hard at all, mon ami," Gambit said smugly. "The hard part is getting away wit' it. Fo' example now, recently mon coeur was stolen -"

"Your what?" Kitty asked.

"- I know exactly who stole it though," Gambit went on as he shifted his eyes to catch Rogue's. "And I have no intention o' letting her get away wit' it."

Rogue flushed but was unable to say anything in response as Gambit's lips met hers and captured them in a ferverant kiss. Kitty stared in complete shock and Bobby's jaw dropped for the second time that day.