Disclaimer: Marvel owns all. (I've just invited them over to my house to play.)
A/N: Prompt for Romy writing exercise: Gambit and Rogue's initial conversation on the Jean/Scott/Logan throuple. 30-minute time limit. Set in current Krakoa comicverse with references to Dawn of X, House of X #6, and Powers of X #4, along with the less recent Uncanny Avengers vol. 3 #22-23 and Deadpool v. Gambit. Inspired by Rogue & Gambit #1 when Gambit told Rogue that eight different X-Men called to tell him she had kissed Deadpool. In short, just know your comics!
Grapevine
Rogue rushed through the door of the bungalow she shared with Gambit, slamming the door behind her. She struggled to catch her breath as she pressed her back against the wood.
"Remy?" She called out, hoping he was home. "Sug, you will not believe what I just found out."
"Hold on, chère." Gambit's voice came from the back of the bungalow, along with the clinking of glass.
"Okay." She walked at a more sedate pace and took a seat on their sofa, distracted though not necessarily disturbed by what she had just witnessed.
Rogue stared off into the distance, barely acknowledging Gambit as he rounded the corner of the sofa and settled into the corner. His arm draped over the back, his fingertips brushing a light pattern up and down her spine. Though she didn't tell him often enough, she absolutely loved these impromptu touches.
"Everythin' okay?" He gently prodded when she didn't elaborate on whatever had her so anxious when she first walked in the door.
"Fine." Even though 'fine' was definitely not the word she really meant. Rather, Rogue tried to buy herself some more time, nodding toward the double old-fashioned glass in her husband's hand. "Ain't it a little early ta be hittin' the hard stuff?"
"When in Krakoa…" He shrugged, swapping up the old expression. "Seems t' me you might need one too."
His words reminded her why she had been in such a rush to get home. Without preamble, she blurted, "Jean, Scott, and Logan are a thing now."
"Old news," Gambit waved his hand dismissively as he brought the fine cut crystal to his lips. He held the smooth liquid on his tongue for a moment, savoring the whiskey's smokey flavor, before adding, "Surprised you didn't know before now, t' be honest."
Rogue's eyes narrowed. "What do ya mean, you're 'surprised I didn't know.' It ain't exactly like this was public knowledge."
Her husband gave her a smarmy 'oh really' smirk. "Non, mais you've had de insider's view more often than not." He tapped his head, making reference to her mutant abilities and the absorbed memories that come with it.
"It don't work like that and ya know it!" Rogue indignantly crossed her arms over her chest and flopped back against the cushions and his arm. She didn't know if she was more irritated that her husband was teasing her about her mutation or that he already knew the juicy gossip.
"Wait a minute, how do you know anyway?" She sat up to round on him, her knee casually brushing against his thigh in a way that sent tingles up both their spines.
"Signs were all there." Gambit just shrugged as his focus grew a little hazy with memories. His previous experience had always been a bone of contention with her, so he tried not to bring it up. "Also, Jubilee and Kate told me. And I caught Emma drinkin' at de Tiki Bar."
"Oh." Clueing in to exactly what he meant, Rogue deflated against his side and rested her head on his shoulder.
The same mutation she had derided just moments before was also the cause of her knowing more about his previous polyamorous encounters, especially the foursome that she had witnessed both from Gambit's memories and Deadpool's viewpoint of the direct retelling from the source. While the incident had occurred when they were officially broken up, it stung Rogue's pride and made her heart ache to know he was seemingly moving on without her. Truth be told, it still did even to this day. And knowing one of his sexual partners was a near look-a-like had only made that feeling worse. Rogue's previous good mood was suddenly morose.
Gambit pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her and gently kissing the top of her head before taking another sip of his drink. "Don't feel bad, petite. They're our friends. Even more so, your relationship with Logan. Sometimes it's not easy to see a different side of someone you know well, neh?"
Truth be told, Gambit was glad her mutation was more random in its mechanics. He had done much more than what she knew. A large part of him wanted to keep her innocent from some of the seedier aspects of his sex life. Rogue wore some rose-colored glasses he never wanted her to take off.
Her soft voice drew him from his reveries. "It's not that."
When she didn't add to her spoken thoughts, he nudged her to continue, "But…"
Rogue sat up, turned her body so she was face to face with him and searched his eyes. Gambit hated when she did this. If it wasn't for his Guild training, he'd be squirming under that gaze that could pick out injustice a mile away. Instead, he kept his body calm and expression placid while anxiously waiting for whatever question he wouldn't want to answer.
"You don't…" Rogue let the words hang, chewing her lip for a moment and looking away. Her cheeks flamed as she continued, "Would you want ta do that? I mean, introduce someone else into our relationship?"
Gambit exhaled a sigh of relief. If this was the worst his wife could come up with, then he would field this topic of conversation all day. Setting his glass on the table, he wrapped his arms around her and tucked her head under his chin. Her ear rested over his heart, where it pounded out a steady beat only for her.
"Do you want someone else in our relationship?" He countered. For once, Gambit wasn't trying to redirect the question away from himself.
"No." Her voice was small, barely audible. Suddenly fearful that her answer might not be enough for him, she mumbled, "Maybe? Only if you do."
And there it was, the same old insecurity Rogue had always held: Gambit would one day leave her when he grew bored or found something better. He huffed again; having thought they were already over this hurdle.
His mind wandered back to a conversation he and his brother had had after Henri had married Mercy. They were coming up on their first anniversary when Henri relayed a similar concern from Mercy, that somehow Henri was sorry he wasn't able to have meaningless flings anymore. Gambit had laughed that his brother wasn't able to keep his wife satisfied, to which Henri had cursed him and said he couldn't wait to see what happened once he was married. Of course, the context had been with Bella Donna in mind. Still, if Henri were alive today and listening in on this conversation, he'd be on the floor in hysterics. Perhaps all newlyweds went through similar phases and it wasn't related to Rogue's hang ups about her mutation and commitment after all.
"Anna, I'm not gon' pressure you into somethin' you don't want. Would it be fun t' have a threesome wit' you? Absolument. But only if it's somethin' you are interested in pursuin'." Gambit reassured her.
"Wouldn't that change things?" Rogue sat up again, needing to see his eyes as he answered.
"For some people," Gambit nodded and looked away, pursing his lips as he gave her question genuine consideration. "I don't think Jean and Scott would have gone down this path without wanting their dynamic to change. Nor would Logan have agreed if he was only interested in somethin' physical wit' Jean."
"But for u-, er, others?" She couldn't bring herself to say 'us' out loud.
"It's just 'bout sex. A good time. Nothin' more comes from it de next day." Gambit answered a little too quickly, speaking the truth to which he had always subscribed without giving it much thought.
Rogue wasn't as easily convinced. She played with her fingers, refusing to look up at him as she asked, "Really? What if, I don't know, one person ends up lovin' the new person more? Or what if the new person doesn't just want one night?"
Though her words were generic, Gambit read between the lines to her true context. Tilting up her chin, he gently cupped her face until her green met his red. "What did I say in Paraísoafter you told me how it's been no one but me since you first saw me?"
"It was the same for you." Rogue quietly answered.
"So what makes you think things have changed?" He asked, needing her to connect the dots for herself.
Rogue broke free from his embrace, gazing in her mind's eye beyond the front door to the lush tropical landscape on the other side. "Because everything…everyone seems so different here."
"What does it matter if we're in Paraíso, or Krakoa, or Manhattan?" Gambit gently turned her face back to his as he promised, "Anna, you are de siren call for me. You are de one who owns me, down t' my very soul."
"Oh," Her eyes shined as they brimmed with tears. "Remy, I love you."
"I love you too, mon coeur." Gambit reassured her with a caress of his thumb across her cheek, but she quickly objected.
"No. I love you, Remy." She grasped his wrists and gently squeezed, mindful of her super strength. "I need ya ta know that. If anythin' were ta happen ta you…." Rogue shook her head. "I don't know what I'd do."
His heart swelled from her confession. Moments like this were rare for them and Gambit treasured them all the more when they happened. It reaffirmed why he was so in love with her, even when the universe wasn't always on their side.
A small, sad smile dimmed the light in his eyes as he simply responded, "Survive. You're a survivor, chère. You'd pick yourself up and go on without me."
"That's just it, Remy. I don't think I could. Not anymore." The salty drops finally spilled over her cheeks.
Gambit leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, lingering several beats longer than necessary. When he finally pulled away, he felt the need to lift the heaviness that had turned the lighthearted gossip dark.
Pressing his forehead against hers, he contradicted her, "Of course you will. You'll just be de grumpy old hag who shouts for all de kids t' keep de noise down."
"Shut your mouth!" She lightly slapped his chest but smiled through the tears all the same. "Besides, we all know you're gonna be the crotchety old man yellin' at the young 'uns ta stay off his yard."
They both grinned imagining not the solitary future each had spoken aloud, but the life where they would grow old and decrepit together. And despite their line of work, it was a vision they each held true as something worth striving to achieve.
"Well," Rogue swiped the tears away from her face. "I guess my news wasn't as scintillatin' as I thought."
"I don't know, chère," Gambit answered, a mischievous twinkle returning to his eyes. "You sure you didn't pick up anythin' over de years? Somethin' I might be able t' help you try out?"
"Mmm, maybe." She coyly blended the words into one sound. "But I don't know if you can help or not. Ya might not have the right parts."
Rogue winked at him, bursting into laughter when his jaw dropped from her unexpected confession.
With a straight face and a finger pointed in her direction, Gambit demanded, "Fille, you better tell me right now what has you so riled up that I 'might not have de right parts' t' help."
"Uh-uh." Rogue jumped off the couch, taking three large strides away from him. "You're gonna have ta make me."
"You're gon' regret those words, chère." He promised, launching himself over the back of the couch to catch her.
They both laughed as he chased her down the hall, content for now in the relationship they were building and the future they were exploring together.