Author's Note:
Prompt For Romy Writing Exercise:
**Gambit and/or Rogue use the Danger Room for something other than its intended purpose**
**Universe:** any (cartoon, movie, comic, etc.) – X-Men: the Animated Series
**Time Limit:** set a timer for 30-45 minutes – I wrote this in 45 minutes with relatively little editing afterwards.
Slippery Slope
Rogue had been searching for Gambit for the last hour. She'd started on the rooftop and had been steadily working her way floor by floor through the Mansion. He was not in any of his usual hiding spots. And they weren't fighting, so it wasn't like he was avoiding her on purpose. After working her way through the rest of the house, she was in the basement where they kept all the 'secret' X-Men related facilities. The state of the art infirmary, the hanger, and the Danger Room.
Pausing at the access panel outside the Danger Room, she checked the status—occupied. With a few commands into the system, she learned that there was only one person in the room and that it was locked from allowing others to access it while in use, and that the safety features had been bypassed. Rogue frowned. Normally the only person who got away with that was Wolverine, but she'd seen Logan fifteen minutes ago in the garage. He'd been preparing to take his bike out for the afternoon.
Which left only one person reckless enough to do something this stupid. Gambit.
Before Rogue could turn on the intercom and demand what in the hell Gambit thought he was doing, the panel beeped. "Identity Confirmed - Rogue. Access Granted" blinked on the screen. Without waiting, Rogue slipped through the door before it was completely opened.
And she stood shivering in the middle of a mountain pass. She chaffed at her arms, wishing she was wearing her uniform instead of the jeans and light sweater more suited for the actual spring temperatures outside. Blinking at the sun glinting off the piercing white, she trudged through knee deep snow. Oblivious to her incongruous presence on the mountain side, the facsimile of skiers whooshed past her. All she could assume was Gambit was among the skiers, otherwise why would the program dump her here when she opened the door. Which didn't bode well—especially after the last time she'd been skiing with Gambit.
"Gambit!" She called into the expanse. Her voice echoed in the silence.
At last her gaze fell on a lone skier who didn't quite hold the same grace as the simulations. Continuing her trudge, she waved a hand to catch his attention as she called his name again. He came to a wobbly stop a few feet beyond her. Better. But, by no means proficient.
"Sugah, what are ya doin'? Don' think this is what the Danger Room's meant for." Her chattering teeth did little to lend her an air of authority.
"Chère, I figured you'd be the one to find me. Though I thought I'd have a little more time." He grinned broadly and wrapped an arm around her. His ski jacket was cool against her skin, though warmer than her lack of layers provided. For a moment he held her in an embrace and she forgot to be annoyed with him. Unfortunately, the moment was short lived. His right ski slipped forward and with his hands otherwise engaged, he was unable to catch himself as he lost his footing. In the end, he managed to pull both of them down into the snow.
Flopping back into the snow with Rogue still in his arms, he closed his eyes and called up to the ceiling, "End program."
In the blink of an eye, the mountain slopes, the chill in the air, and the skies disappeared. Rogue's head rested against Remy's chest. She curled his hands in his shirt—the ski jacket also gone. He continued to hold her to his side. She didn't fight the closeness, it was nice.
After a moment, she sat up, resuming her usual distance. "What's with the slopes, sugah?"
Remy pushed himself up and rested a hand on her knee. He didn't meet her eyes and there was a slight flush to his cheeks. That, above all else, drove her to curiosity. He rarely showed any level of embarrassment. If he did offer a peek into any such vulnerabilities it was when they were in moments of privacy like this.
"Promise Ah won't laugh, Rems." She said softly, learning in to remind him of the intimacy of the moment.
He laughed in a self-deprecating kind of way. Running a hand through his hair, he looked up and met her eyes. "I thought I might practice before we went on vacation this time."
"Practice?" Rogue frowned. "Whatever for? Besides, it's not like we know where we're going yet."
They had managed to finally finagle some time for a vacation, though they had purposely not chosen a location. If their last several attempts proved anything, it was that the universe (or the X-Men) didn't want them to get away. To see what it was like to be together without the prying eyes and dissenting voices trying to keep them apart. So, they decided to play fast and loose with the universe. To keep things spontaneous and have the universe play catch up. Maybe for once they could outrun their usual fate.
Remy shrugged in his languid manner. "I want t' spend our vacation together without getttin' hurt this time. So, I programmed a bunch of scenarios into the Danger Room—things 'm not so good at. Figured if I had some practice under my belt I might not make head first acquaintance with any trees this time."
"Aww," Rogue smiled and placed her gloved hand over his mouth so she could give him a quick kiss. "How's it going?"
"Better than before, but not by much."
"So that's why ya locked everyone out?" She snuggled into his side. This wasn't Paris in the springtime, but it was nice. They didn't often get uninterrupted moments like this.
He nodded. "Was never trying to hide from you, chère."
"Well, then, let's practice together next time."