Disclaimer: Marvel owns all. (I've just invited them over to my house to play.)
A/N: Merry Christmas, Chellerbelle! I hope this brings a little joy around family, a dash of renewed hope, and a tidbit of humor for the gift that keeps on giving. (Written for a holiday gift exchange.)
Set in movieverse, but you only really need to know characters and some basic plots. Maybe some tiny spoilers for Logan, Deadpool 2, and New Mutants if you haven't seen them. I also played around with the ages a little bit since trying to make all the quantum timelines match anymore can give anyone a quantum headache.
The Gift that Keeps Giving
Rogue huffed, her bangs briefly flying as she tapped the eraser of her pencil against the small post-it tacked to the desk. She leaned back in her chair, scrunching down low so her neck rested on its top, and stared up at the ceiling as if it had all the answers.
'How can one li'l old name on such a tiny slip of paper cause so much trouble on Christmas Eve?' She huffed again.
For the first time in a long while, the mansion was brimming with inhabitants. Mutant-human relations had severely deteriorated in recent years, sending an influx of refugees to the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. It was one such group that deserved particular attention, and in more ways than one.
While following up on a lead from the Essex House for Mutant Rehabilitation, Cable had stumbled across five teenagers walking away from the dilapidated Milbury Hospital just outside of Boston. The surprising part hadn't been that the mysterious Essex Corporation had at least one secondary location, but that one of the mutants had been Colossus's little sister Illyana whom he hadn't seen since she was seven. The unexpected family reunion served as a beacon of hope in troubling times. Unfortunately, it also brought trouble all its own.
Illyana had a chip on her shoulder the size of Mount Everest. No longer was she the sweet little sister that Colossus remembered from their childhood. Even giving the girl the benefit of being a moody teenager with severe mental health issues, Rogue had found it a challenge just to be in the same room with her at times. The young Russian needed a serious attitude adjustment.
'Some lessons in good old Southern charm wouldn't hurt either.' Rogue thought, once again glancing down at Illyana's name on the paper.
Since the new mutants were too old to enroll as students, the terms of the Xavier Endowment did not provide as many benefits to boarders over eighteen. While they were paid a small stipend for volunteering around the Institute when not working on refining their powers, they really didn't have a lot of spending cash to purchase gifts (with the exception of Roberto da Costa, who still had access to his parent's money). Rather than leave anyone out of the giving season, Jubilee had recommended and organized a one-way Secret Santa from the faculty to the newest residents. Each young adult would get a few thoughtful gifts but still have some folding money to purchase a small token for their closest friends if they were smart about budgeting.
So what could be so bad about this most charitable idea? Why none other than the one name Rogue had quietly dreaded receiving. While Illyana could be fiercely protective and even sweet at times, it was the viper-like tongue that swiftly delivered a jab right when an unsuspecting person let down their guard. To say Rogue had been on the receiving end of Illyana's barbs would be an understatement, never mind the mental demons each carried made their mutations similar in at least one sense. Still, Rogue bit back her typical sarcastic riposte all for the sake of her friendship with Colossus.
'Poor clueless, hopeless Pete,' she sighed.
When Rogue had asked for a few ideas, the gentle Russian had been of little help since the siblings had barely had four months to reconnect. Rogue also had no luck with Illyana's friends. Roberto was so full of himself and his parent's wealth that he'd basically laughed in Rogue's face at her feeble attempts. And while she and Sam Guthrie were birds of a feather, the fellow Southerner and his family had barely squeaked out a living. Christmas had been a luxury in their humble household, so his answer of a good home cooked meal didn't really mean the same to him as it would to Illyana.
Rogue buried her face in her hands and leaned over the desk as she spoke aloud, "Gawd, why is this so hard?"
"Désolé, chérie. It has a mind of it's own when yo' in de room." Gambit's whiskey-rich voice filled the air, making Rogue forget all about her problem.
"Remy!" She hadn't even heard him come in their room but now that he was here, she virtually flew across the distance and threw her arms around his neck before planting her lips on his.
Rogue savored in the sensation of his returning kiss, eternally grateful to the genius that was Hank McCoy and his ability to reverse engineer the Cure in a way that helped struggling mutants like herself learn the difference in switching their powers on and off. After several long minutes of gentle fingers running through silky hair and a wandering hand or two, the couple broke apart just enough to come up for air.
"Miss me?" Gambit asked, already knowing the answer.
"Of course! Sug, there ain't ever gonna be a day when Ah won't miss ya when we're not together." She responded by massaging his biceps and shoulders with the familiarity indued from a long-term relationship. Stepping away, Rogue grabbed his hand and led him to the loveseat in their small suite, asking, "How was Saudi Arabia?" as they sat down together.
Gambit just shrugged, "Comme ci, comme ça. Y' know de life of a world-renowned adventurer: cunning, daring, thrills. Danger 'round every corner."
"Uh-huh," A healthy dose of skepticism colored her voice, "Life of an infamous thief is more like it."
The trip had made her nervous, even though she hadn't wanted to express her fears out loud. He hadn't wanted to tell her where he was going at first, just that he would be gone for a few weeks. When she had finally weaseled the location out of him, he had refused to give her any idea why he was going. That usually meant it was something for the Thieves Guild or an itch for pilfering he just had to scratch.
"C'est tout." With that short, infuriating phrase, Rogue knew she wouldn't get anything else out of him. To further distract her from asking more questions, he reclined into the corner of the small sofa and draped his arm around her shoulders. "So what's this hard chut-chut y' were talkin' 'bout earlier?"
"Ugh!" Rogue had blissfully forgotten her problem for a few minutes and didn't want to be reminded of it. "Ya know that Secret Santa thing that Jubilee arranged? Well, Ah got Illyana."
Gambit winced and shook his head. "Poo-yi. On yo' own fo' that bebette."
"Thanks a lot, rude boy." Rogue lightly slapped his leg over the insult to Illyana before she stood.
He sat up a little in indignation. "Hey, where y' goin', chère? I just got back."
Grabbing her purse and scanning the contents, she mumbled as she distractedly walked toward the door, "If ya ain't got any ideas, Ah'm gonna have ta go wander the mall 'til Ah find somethin'."
"Mais yeah, I didn't even get a proper 'welcome home, Remy!'"He shouted after her.
"Welcome home, Remy!" Rogue sing-songed, stepping out of the suite and closing the door behind her.
Gambit perched on the edge of the loveseat, a silent countdown ticking in his head. As if on queue, the door burst open and Rogue's face appeared from around the corner.
"And don't go snoopin' for your Christmas presents! All you'll do is make a mess lookin' for somethin' that ain't here 'cause Ah ain't even bought it yet!" She pointed her finger at him, her brows knitted together with consternation.
In the sweetest, innocent schoolboy act, Gambit balefully said, "Who, me?"
"Yes, you." One of her brows rose in an elegant arch. "And don't go playin' all innocent with me, swamp rat. Ah know ya too well by now."
"Then y' should know I don't leave any evidence behind." Gambit grouched under his breath.
Rogue opened the door wider, stepping further into their room. "What was that?"
"Nothin', chère. Love you! Have fun!" He cheerfully called to her answering wave as she threw back a "Love ya, too," on her way out the door.
Gambit idly triple-cut a deck of cards in one hand, betting Rogue wouldn't return again but not wanting to take the chance. When a sufficient time had passed, he jumped up, raced to the suite entrance, triple locked the door, and dashed through the common room to their bedroom. Reaching into his trench coat, he stopped midway and strode back to the bedroom door to lock it too, just in case. Satisfied with the level of security, Gambit carefully removed the flat leather box from a specially concealed pocket inside his coat. Checking the item one more time, he counted the floorboards along the side of the bed before stooping down at an unmarked location. The platform bed looked as sturdy as any other solid wood frame, but Gambit had installed a trick panel to temporarily stash items before he could arrange the fence. Slipping the box into the secret store, he slid the panel back into place and marveled at his handiwork.
A quiet knock at the suite door interrupted his self-appreciation. It was a little too convenient on the timing, but Gambit pushed away the minor paranoia. Taking off his coat and tossing it on the bed, he walked through the suite right as a second, louder knock sounded against the door.
Opening it without discretion, he greeted, "Laura, petite!" to the young woman standing in the hall before pulling her in for a bear hug. "Joyeux Noël!"
"Um, Merry Holidays to you too, Gambit." She stiffly answered, still not used to all the joyous spirit this time of year brought. "I heard you had returned from your trip. I hope it was successful."
"De rien." He waved it away as they broke apart. "Quoi ça die?"
Laura gave him an odd look for a moment, trying to distinguish what he had asked. When it was not immediately clear, Gambit added, "Désolé, petite.What's goin' on?"
"Oh! Storm has requested assistance with wrapping gifts for the children." Laura stated as a matter of fact.
His resounding groan and slumped shoulders was enough of an answer, but he still mumbled, "That's one reason I went t' Saudi Arabia when I did."
If there was anything Gambit hated about the holidays, it was trying to fit oddly shaped items into neatly folded, delicate wrapping paper with satin bow toppings. Boxes? No problem. Gift bags? A breeze. But did Storm let them get away with simple presentations? Nope. Not in a million years. And while he understood better than anyone her sentiment that Christmas should be special for the students since some had never had one, he still didn't have to like (or participate) in the preparations for it.
Picking up on his grousing with her sensitive hearing, Laura added, "Storm thought you might have that reaction. She said your alternative is to work on the cooking and baking."
"I'll be in de kitchen." He straightened up, heading down the hall as he closed the door behind him.
The two walked in companionable silence for a moment before Laura awkwardly asked, "Have you completed your holiday shopping?"
Adjusting to life outside of Weapon X had not been easy for her. Under Jubilee's advice, she had started trying to come out of her shell by practicing small talk. The endeavor was slow going, but meeting with some success. Laura was starting to build friendships beyond just Gambit and Wolverine.
"Mais non!" Gambit barked in laughter.
She glanced at him, somewhat surprised. "You do not plan on gifting something to Rogue? I thought the common tradition was to exchange items with those closest to one's self?"
"It is." He gave her a winsome grin. "That don't mean I shopped though."
Laura raised an eyebrow, but didn't question him any further. She knew his dealings as a thief were nearly as shady as her past.
"How 'bout you, petite? Y' picked somethin' out for de grumpy, old badger?" Gambit asked.
Her face pinched in thought. "If by the 'grumpy, old badger' you mean Logan, then no. I am not sure what he would desire to receive."
"That's not quite de point, but I'm sure you'll figure somethin' out. Oh, hey!" Gambit was distracted as they passed Henry McCoy's classroom on the way to the kitchen. "I need t' see Big Blue fo' a moment."
Without preamble, he twisted the knob and swung open the door not expecting the classroom to be full of students. The school semester had ended a week prior, once finals were finished. To see Beast passing out pamphlets to a small group of older teens, including Illyana and Roberto, was surprising to say the least.
"I believe each of you are aware of the consequences of being engaged in, shall we say 'extracurricular activities'. However, since some of you were caught by Logan not once but twice, the normal demerits have been deemed insufficient." The former mutant ambassador lectured as he handed the trifold packets to each individual.
"In an effort to dissuade future rendezvous, we will be familiarizing ourselves with the consequences that occur when one does not engage in safe sexual encounters. As you can ascertain by the title of the first handout, we will be discussing," at this Hank brought the brochure to eye level and peered through the glasses perched low on his nose, "Herpes: The gift that keeps on giving."
A few stray giggles were heard from some of the more troublesome students, but Hank ignored them as he reset his glasses and noticed for the first time Gambit and Laura standing in the doorway.
"Ah, Mr. LeBeau, Ms. Kinney, what a pleasant surprise! Is there some way in which I may be of service today?" The giggles behind Hank burst into full laughter.
Having heard the subject matter, Gambit simply gave a two-finger salute before saying, "Some other time, homme, non?"
As he swiftly closed the door, he heard Laura move next to him and quietly ask, "Perhaps I should give Logan herpes for Christmas?"
Gambit nearly swallowed his tongue. A violent coughing fit brought tears to his eyes as he doubled over after choking on his breath. Laura stood perplexed for a moment before forcefully pounding on his back. When he could draw in enough air to speak again, he rasped, "Non, y' should not give Logan, or anybody else fo' that matter, herpes fo' Christmas." Giving it another second of thought, he quickly added, "Or any other time of de year neither."
"I do not understand. If it is 'the gift that keeps on giving', why would that not be something to be enjoyed on more than one occasion?" Laura's brow knit in confusion.
"Petite," Gambit paused and straightened, having mastered control over breathing once again. For the first time in a long time, he didn't have a quick retort at the ready. Instead, he offered, "If y' don't understand, then maybe y' should go join de other students in Hank's class."
Laura appraised him for a second before shrugging her shoulders and heading back the way they had come. Shaking his head, Gambit watched her for a minute before continuing to the kitchen. What he found behind the swinging double doors surprised him for the second time that day. A hazy layer of smoke hung low near the ceiling. Every inch of the spacious countertops was covered in flour, sugar, dropped eggs, or in some places, all three. At least three different alarms on the professional grade equipment were going off, indicating a refrigerator door was open, the oven timer was done, or a burner was getting too hot. Amidst all this chaos was one frazzled looking Kitty Pryde and an overwhelmed Dani Moonstar.
"Now what misère we got goin' on in here?" He asked, his eyes never settling on one place as he surveyed the disaster.
"Oh, Gambit! Thank God!" Kitty shouted before running over and crushing him in a tight squeeze around his middle.
The natural instinct to back up and raise his arms left him hovering over her in an awkward stance. Seeing that the powdery white grain meal covering the little spitfire was now embedded in his dark colored t-shirt, he gingerly lowered his hands to her shoulders and gave her a consoling pat on the back.
"There now, chaton, I know I'm a gift, mais y' don't have t' thank God fo' me." He couldn't help but tease her just a bit with that kind of opening.
As expected, Kitty stepped back and swatted his arm. "Does Rogue know you talk like that?"
"How do you think I got Rogue t' gimme de time of day in de first place?" He threw her a wink.
"Whatever!" Kitty answered with an eye-roll. "But since you're here, you can help us with the cooking."
Help was an understatement if ever he heard one. Then again, even this mess was better than wrapping presents. Having lived at Xavier's for sometime, Gambit was well aware of Kitty's (lacking) kitchen abilities, but Dani was an unknown to him. Of the two young women, the Cheyenne and her workspace were somewhat clean and organized, although she did look out of her element preparing food for such a large group. Walking over to the few bowls she was working on, he nodded as he took stock of the dishes. In comparison to Kitty's workstation, he could at least identify the recipe.
"Dani? Y' cooked before?" His question was soft and gentle since he didn't know her that well.
Dani crossed one arm over her chest, her hand grabbing her bicep. She gave a tiny shrug, her eyes darting away instead of meeting his gaze.
"Yes, sir. With my dad. Before the accident." As an afterthought, she added, "Sometimes I helped with tribal celebrations."
Bending down to her height, he lightly chucked her chin so she would look up at him.
"First, de name is Remy. Gambit if it makes y' feel more comfortable. Not 'sir' and never 'Mr. LeBeau'," Satisfied he had her attention, he straightened to his full height. "Second, y' done a pretty good job here t' be proud of."
His words brought a small smile to Dani's face and a much needed boost to her confidence. Glancing back at Kitty, he addressed both women with, "Now what's say we cook up somethin' this patchwork family ain't soon gon' forget, hein?"
Clapping his hands and rubbing them together for good measure, Gambit looked around for an apron, not that it really mattered since Kitty had smeared flour all over him, and got down to work. "Dani, would y' please work on de marinade fo' de turkey? And Kitty, y' think y' can handle whippin' up some heavy cream?"
"Of course!" Dani answered to Kitty's chorused, "No problemo!"
Several hours later and a nearly completed Christmas dinner prepped in the commercial refrigerators, Gambit finally had a break to relax. The sound of group laughter led him to the Rec Room where Jubilee, Bobby, Logan, Betsy, and Warren were watching National Lampoons: Christmas Vacation. Even Rahne Sinclair and Sam Guthrie had found a comfortable spot on the floor in front of the big screen TV. Seeing an open seat on the Chesterfield next to Logan, Gambit claimed it for his own and gratefully accepted a beer from his long-time friend. The movie must not have been on very long since the current scene was Clark Griswold shopping for lingerie at the department store.
"These are cut really high on the hip. Look, I'm wearing something similar. See? You can't see the line." Mary demonstrated by discreetly lifting her skirt to show her hip clear up to her waist.
Rusty sidled up to his dad, delighting in catching him misbehaving.
Clark looked at Rusty and gleefully said, "Can't see the line, can you Russ?" before realizing what he said and double taking at his son.
While Jubilee and Bobby were quoting the lines from the movie, Betsy, who had never seen it, burst out laughing from the unexpected bit. The scene even earned a low chuckle from Logan. Smiling at the joke but more at his friends' enjoyment, the last thing Gambit had expected was a pair of soft lips brushing against the shell of his ear and a breathy voice whisper, "If ya think those are cut really high on the hip, ya should see what Ah bought while Ah was at the mall."
Quick as lightning, Gambit turned his head to steal a kiss and a small, surprised 'eep' out of Rogue. With his mouth otherwise engaged, he reached behind to grab her hips and hauled her over the arm of the couch. She landed with an 'oomph' in his lap, her legs draped over the side as he kissed her again.
Sitting a little too close for comfort and having heard the whole exchange, Logan just rolled his eyes and inched slowly away. "You two have a room, you know."
Rogue hummed in delight as she reveled in Gambit's kiss for another second before breaking away and sassing back, "But it's so much more fun ta make ya squirm, hon!"
Wriggling out of Gambit's embrace, she squeezed herself into the space between her two favorite men and settled in to watch the movie with them.
"Find what y' were lookin' fo'?" Gambit softly spoke in her ear so as not to disturb the others.
"Mmhmm. And then some." She smirked and rested her head on his shoulder, knowing there was at least one present for him that hadn't been on her original list.
As the plot progressed and the adults got rowdier through a combination of the movie's antics and a healthy supply of alcohol, their inhibitions about teasing each other slowly lowered. Stories were exchanged about Bobby's out-of-touch great-aunt Myrtle who sent him tidy-whitey granny panties as a present one year, Jubilee's first Christmas at the mansion when she accidentally fried all the outdoor twinkle lights with an unexpected burst of her powers, and Warren's holiday fiasco so unbelievable that none of them accepted the tale as the reason why he never went home for Christmas. All the while, Betsy was good-naturedly shushing the group so she could hear the more serious parts of the movie.
They had just gotten to the scene where the messenger delivered Clark's Christmas bonus when the intercom from the front gates eerily buzzed on cue. Sitting the closest to the control, Gambit answered the call with the standard 'Xavier Institute' greeting.
"I've got a deliver for a Robert Lord." The visitor answered on the other end.
"Come on t' de front door." Gambit answered, smoothly sliding out of Rogue's embrace. With a mischievous little smirk only she could see, he announced, "I'll take care of it."
"Clark, what's wrong? Honey? It's bigger than you expected?" Ellen asked her husband while the rest of the family laughed. Clark only dry chuckled in return.
"Smaller? What is it?" She continued to prod.
"It's a one year membership in the Jelly of the Month Club." Clark flatly answered.
"Clark, that's the gift that keeps on giving the whole year." Cousin Eddie toasted the good fortune.
"That it is, Edward. That it is indeed." The Griswold family patriarch's demeanor was the calm before the storm.
"It's here! It's here! It finally came, chère!" Gambit danced back in, a large black shipping box held over his head. His triumphant return dwarfed the on-screen ranting and raving as he made sure to draw the group's attention away from the movie.
"Sug, what's here?" Rogue asked, watching him parade around with the package before dropping back into his seat and plopping the box on her lap.
"Open it!" A gleeful twinkle sparkled in his eye. "It's an early Christmas present."
Rogue gave him a skeptical look, trying to figure out his game. When she didn't make a move, he prodded the box closer to her and handed her a knife. "Open it! Open it!"
"Yeah, chica, open it. Your man's got us all curious now." Jubilee playfully joined in.
Feeling the weight of the room eyeing her, she gingerly sliced the packing tape open and pulled the tab-locking flaps out of the sides. As she lifted the lid, Rogue gasped before quickly slamming it back down. A furious pink flushed from her neck to the tips of her ears.
"You didn't!" She accused Gambit, but that impish smile dimpled his cheek and the pernicious gleam remained. "REMY!"
Innocent to the ways of the Cajun charmer, Rahne's sweet Scottish brogue asked, "What is it?"
"Yeah, chère, what is it?" Gambit echoed, his eyes never leaving hers while she silently fumed.
Dying to get a better look, Betsy stood up and leaned forward. "Well, come on, luv. Don't leave us hanging."
Still in the silent stare-down with the man she thought she loved, Rogue set her jaw as she ground out, "Don't…you…dare."
"Aww, why not? Give de people what they want." Gambit tried to slip a finger under the tab to flip the lid, but she slammed her hand over the top. "Do it and you're a deadman, Cajun."
Sam, ever the Southern gentleman with a knight-in-shining armor complex, felt the need to stand up for the Louisiana native for once. "Geez, Rogue, whatever it is can't be that bad, can it?"
But as Rogue turned to say, "Keep outta it, Guthrie," Gambit swiped the box out from under her death grip and practically pranced over to where Bobby had stayed unusually quiet through the whole exchange.
Settling in, he criss-crossed his legs and leaned back against the sofa, the box carefully placed in front of him. With an effortless flick of his forefinger, he flipped the tabs out of the locks. The lid flew back only to expose a wide arrangement of colorful foil wrappers and deluxe sample sized bottle. Nestled in the center around the cornucopia of pleasures was a black silicon object that kind of looked like a PVC coupling socket with a hole in the bottom and two straps connecting the edges.
"Garde des don!" He chirped with glee, so proud of his prize. "It's our very own Jelly of de Month club, Roguey!"
"That's it. I've heard enough." Logan swallowed the last of his beer, slammed the bottle on the end table, and walked out of the room. "Night, children."
Undeterred by the Canadian's exit, Gambit started sorting through the contents. "There's a bottle of water-based jelly and some wipes fo' after de fun is over. A sample of vanilla flavored virgin tightenin' liquid. Interestin'. Some motion lotion masturbation cream, no, scratch that. It's fo' un homme's sacred 'me time'. Mais yeah, we can still have fun with de cock sleeve and ball separator, non? Ooo, and this is a snug fit condom fo' de little fellas. Guess we can throw that one out, huh, chère?"
For the first time since he started disassembling the box, Gambit looked up to see Rogue's face so red it was bordering on the same color as boysenberry pie. Other than the death glare currently aimed his way, he had no other warning than, "Run!" before she launched off the couch toward him.
Having grown up on the streets, Gambit was no stranger to fast escapes with little to no warning. Quicker than a ray of light, he was up and loping out the Rec Room with Rogue hot on his tail.
"Well, I think I agree with Logan when I say that's enough for tonight." Warren watched the two lovers careen down the entrance hall.
One by one the group dispersed, none of them the wiser to the slight pinking of Bobby's cheeks as he bent down to collect the contents of the box. The last thing he picked up was the snug fit condom. "Well, I suppose I don't need this one either."
Grabbing the box, he slowly headed toward the faculty dormitory only to rush quickly to his room when he heard a bang on the wall followed by the crashing sound of something expensive breaking. The last thing he wanted was to be anywhere near Rogue when her temper flared. Having dated her most of their high school years, he knew exactly what the receiving end of that ill humor was like and was glad to leave it in his past now that they each had moved on. Whether Gambit had experienced her ire or even if he had and didn't care, Bobby did not know. Arriving at his door just in time to see a flash of auburn and white, he slipped into his suite and threw the lock behind him.
Rogue was sure she had glimpsed a body moving this way, but the hall was empty. That slimy swamp rat was going to get it as soon as she found him. Always one to prank, she knew how much enjoyment Gambit derived from his usually harmless (though at times embarrassing) jokes. This time was too far though. Sam and Rahne were much too young to bear witness to the debacle. Sex and her relationship with Gambit were not something she wanted Logan or her ex-boyfriend Bobby to think about. And her friendships with Warren and Betsy were still in their fledgling state. As for Jubilee, well, there was no stopping Jubes once she got started. The best thing to do there was live through it and move on. Reaching the end of the passageway and finding no hide nor hair of the elusive thief, Rogue spun on her heel and stomped back to their room.
'Fine. He wants ta hide like this, well two can play at that game, mister!' Rogue thought.
Grabbing the cashmere and velvet throw draped over the back of their loveseat, she curled up in its warmth. The small tree with all its presents neatly arranged underneath mocked her after that humiliation in front of the others. When she had returned from the mall with Illyana's gift, she'd wrapped the new purchases she'd made for Gambit and placed them along with the ones she'd bought earlier in the month under the little Christmas tree they had decorated together.
The soft white lights were interspersed with a strand of colored balls since Gambit had insisted it did not have enough to joie de vivre. Ornaments were randomly placed on interspersed branches, although those were just as easy to pick out too. While hers were elegantly frosted globes or glittering glass icicles, his were Star Wars, Star Trek, and Harry Potter themed. Looking at the happy scene now, all she wanted to do was tear it down and return it.
'Damn smartass Cajun. Thinks he's so damn cute.' Rogue grumped to herself as she turned on the TV for a distraction.
Not realizing how late it was, she was somewhat surprised to see the eleven o'clock news anchors reporting the day's events. Even more surprising was the top story. Her jaw dropped when she heard the breaking headline.
"Good evening, everyone. Thank you for joining us. I'm Shawna Washington. Tonight in a stunning move, the President has issued an executive order to remedy corrective action policies biased against mutant relations. In addition to the executive order, the President has created a special task force to examine federal laws that create inequalities or social injustices in the mutant community. We go now to Marcus Villanueva who is on the scene in Washington D.C. to bring us more on this developing story."
Rogue was so engrossed in the news, that she didn't hear Gambit creep up behind her. "Anna?" His voice was soft, hesitant but still made her jerk in alarm all the same.
"Cheese and rice, Remy! Ya scared the sweet tea outta me!" She scolded, temporarily forgetting she was furious with him.
As she turned toward his voice, she realized he had come in not through their suite door but rather from the bedroom. While she hadn't scoured their suite before settling in on the couch, she was sure he hadn't been in there the whole time. That meant he'd scampered out of the mansion, up to the roof, and scaled down the wall to the balcony leading off their bedroom.
'Figures he'd climb like a spider monkey.' The realization brought back the feelings of shame and distress he had dumped on her with his little stunt. Rather than answer him, she simply watched his movements as she gave him the silent treatment.
Tentatively inching closer to her, she watched with her arms crossed over her chest and knees drawn up as he rounded the loveseat and cautiously took the seat next to her. His gaze never left hers, calculating her position and trajectory should she decide to pounce on him.
"Anna, chère, I'm sorry 'bout earlier." Gambit's tone had a soothing, genuine quality to it, one she knew it to be the result of his passive hypnotic charm mutation. Good thing it didn't work on her or else he'd be in worse trouble than he already was.
'Boy, he must mean it if he's not throwin' 'bout his usual désolé.' Rogue mused, but gave no outward reaction to his apology.
Squirming uncomfortably in the opposite corner of the couch, Gambit rushed to explain. "See, Bobby wanted-" but Rogue interrupted him with a raised hand signaling him to stop as she accused, "So you're gonna blame my ex for your poor judgement?"
He took the verbal beating and waited for her to calm down a little before continuing. "I'm not blamin' Bobby. I'm just sayin' that he approached me asking fo' advice on orderin' that monthly adult paraphernalia subscription box. I agreed t' help him on de condition I could open de first one in front of you. I didn't know it was comin' t'day and I certainly didn't think it would haunte y' so much in front of our amis."
"Well, it did," Rogue humphed, crossing her arms even more tightly against his attempts at seeking forgiveness. "Geez, Remy, what were ya thinkin', pullin' out all that sex stuff in front of the others. Ah mean, Ah know that they know that we-"
"-Baise comme des lapins?" He hopefully volunteered by way of interruption, but she only stared him down for a moment.
"As Ah was sayin', it's one thing for our friends ta think they know what we do behind closed doors and another for them ta actually know it." The honesty of her statement shook even her.
Rogue found she couldn't look him in the eyes anymore and dropped her gaze to her knees. She idly picked at some lint on the velvet side of the blanket as she stewed in the realization that even Logan knew more about their sex life than he no doubt could already sense.
Gambit reached across the distance between them and placed his hand over hers. "I'm sorry, Anna. I see yo' point and I hadn't thought it through like that. At de time, it seemed like a good way t' get a rise outta Bobby 'bout his relationship with his boyfriend."
"By embarrassin' me?" Rogue questioned.
"Seemed better then pickin' on de gay guy." He answered with a shrug.
Gambit had been sexually active for so long that modesty wasn't exactly something he felt, much less even remembered. There wasn't a product, position, or proposition he wasn't intimately comfortable discussing. It was hard for him sometimes to take a step back and put himself in other people's shoes. People like Rogue, who as recently as two years ago had a mutation preventing her from all forms of physical intimacy. People like Bobby, who had lived most of his teenaged years questioning what was exciting and attractive, but had been raised to find a nice girl like Rogue or Kitty and settle down instead of eyeing up handsome men like his current boyfriend Romeo. He soon realized that a little ribbing around the "lube of the month club" would have been funny, but not the full unboxing and inventory he had conducted in front of the others.
"What else can I say, chère, but that I'm sorry." This time, it was Gambit who was unable to meet her penetrating stare.
"It's okay, sug. Ah forgive ya." Rogue placed her free hand over their joined ones before scooting across the small distance and cuddling into his side. "But ya owe the others an apology too."
Gambit short saluted before wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "Yes, ma'am. First thing in de mornin'."
They curled around each other, content in their embrace for several minutes before Gambit reached down and presented the small leather box he'd hidden away earlier that morning. A fancy satin evergreen bow wrapped an intricate pattern around the flat square.
"This is my gift t' you, mamour." He held it out with a flourish.
Rogue hesitantly took it. "But it ain't Christmas yet."
"I think y' deserve t' open it early after all de trouble I caused." A sweet kiss on her temple accompanied his gentle prodding.
"Well…if you're sure…" She waited for his confirming nod, biting her lower lip before tearing into the bow and shoving it away from the leather case.
"Oh my gawd! Remy, it's beautiful!" Rogue gasped as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, mindful of the precious gift he had bestowed.
Nestled underneath the spring loaded lid was a glimmering double lavalier pendant. The bail was rose gold leading down to the outer chandalier, which was comprised of white diamonds set in platinum. They served as a frame to the brilliantly rubicund half carat pear-cut gem. A thin, elegant twist of the contrasting rose gold wrapped around the two, tying the outer water drop to the inner one. The finishing touch was the platinum rope chain.
Breaking the kiss, Rogue worried as she realized, "But what Ah got for you is gonna pale in comparison."
"Trust me, chère, when I say this is one of de best Christmases ever." The glimmer in his eyes spoke volumes about the secrets buried in their depths.
Taking the box from her, Gambit lightly traced the design and explained, "Since de moment I first laid eyes on you, Anna, you've had me twisted 'round yo' little finger. By de time I noticed it, y' were already wound straight down t' de center of me. There ain't no way t' separate us now without us both bein' torn apart in de process. For me, y' will forever be my always."
No truer words had ever been spoken to melt a lover's heart. Rogue's lips moved softly over his before parting to nibble on his lower lip. Once lightly caught between her teeth, she darted her tongue across his trapped flesh. Mimicking her moves, his tongue curled out to invade her space and flick the back of her front teeth. Catch and release became the new game as she let go of her hold only for him to capture her mouth in return. It wasn't long before their hands began to wander away from shoulders and waists and into more intimate territory. So absorbed in the other, neither heard the closing story of the night.
"And in other news, the Rob Red diamond, famous for being the world's most saturated and purest red diamond measured visually and instrumentally to date, was stolen in the early hours of Monday morning. Not much is known about the suspect or suspects since surveillance footage did not capture any intruders and no interruptions or anomalies were detected in the security system. The platinum and white diamond ring in which the red diamond was set was later recovered on the property. The showpiece center stone had been expertly removed with surgical precision.
"The Fancy Intense Red gem weighs .59 carats and is cut in a modified brilliant-cut pear shape. It last sold at Christie's Auction House to an undisclosed investor for just under $8 million. While a spokeswoman from Christie's declined to comment on the identity or location of the investor, she did say the auction house was cooperating fully with the investigation."
"Merry Christmas, Anna, amour." Gambit spoke, lifting her up in his arms and carrying her off to their bedroom as she answered, "Merry Christmas, Remy. Ah love ya."
(X)
For anyone wondering (because I had to look myself), the "gift that keeps giving" came up with 3 main results:
1. National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Cousin Eddie commenting on Clark's Jelly of the Month Club bonus.
2. Urban Dictionary's definition regarding herpes
3. Coinage by Victor Radio in the early 1920s in an ad campaign to buy a Victor Radio "the gift that keeps on giving…a royal gift…at a very low price!", but was reused by Hotpoint Appliances, Du Mont Electronics, RCA Victor, Kodak, and Godiva to indicate a gift that continued to invoke happy/pleasant memories long after the original purchase/gift giving was over.
Translations
Comme ci, comme ça - (Cajun French) Like this, like that/meaning so-so.
C'est tout - (Cajun French) that's all/meaning I'm finished with this
Chut-chut - (Cajun French) thingamajig
Poo-yi - (Cajun French) that stinks
Bebette - (Cajun French) little bug/creature/monster
Fence - (Canting term) Act of receiving, moving, or transferring stolen goods between thieves and buyers
Joyeux Noël - (Cajun French) Merry Christmas
De rien - (Cajun French) it's nothing (I want to talk about)
Quoi ça die - (Cajun French) What's going on?
Misère - (Cajun French) trouble
Grade des don - (Cajun French) Well look at that
Haunte - (Cajun French) embarrass
Baise comme des lapins - (French) fuck like bunnies
Mamour - (Cajun French) my love