Warning: This story is rated PG-13 for some slightly adult content.
The Right Time
Part 2
(starring Rogue and Gambit)
By Corina "Mako" Borsuk
Remy shifted impatiently in his seat. He was utterly uncomfortable in his tuxedo. As a general rule, he disliked formal attire. It wasn't that he looked bad in it. In fact, he had to admit he looked pretty good in a tuxedo. He just never liked the way it confined his movements. As a thief and a fighter, one of Gambit's greatest strengths was his agility. In the cumbersome formal attire, he felt as if he had been stripped of that ability, making him vulnerable. He didn't like that feeling one bit.
Most likely, he wouldn't have even considered wearing the get-up if Rogue hadn't insisted. Two days ago, she had simply told him to meet her in the main room at 7 and dress formally. So here he was, in a tuxedo waiting for Rogue, and it was 7:15.
"Sorry to keep ya waitin' sugah, but a gal has to look her best for her man." At the sound of the voice, Remy looked up and breathed in sharply. What he saw before him was like a vision out of a fairy tale. Rogue wore a Chinese-style, floor-length dress that showed off her luscious curves. The emerald green silk shimmered with the faintest flower pattern, perfectly setting off her beautiful green eyes. The long green silk gloves stopped just short of the dress, leaving the slightest bit of flesh exposed on either shoulder. A long slit up the side of the dress allowed him quick glimpses of her shapely legs as she gracefully descended the stairs.
Rogue basked in Remy's obviously appreciative glance. Her eyelids lowered sexily as she silently appraised him. The simple black tuxedo wasn't especially impressive on its own, but on Remy, it looked stunning. The black tuxedo made his reddish-brown hair seem even brighter, as if it were on fire. His eyes shone with desire, and Rogue mentally complimented herself in her choice of outfits. If the dress was having this effect, the rest of her evening should have the desired result.
Just as she reached the bottom of the staircase, Remy gently took her hand, raised it to his lips and kissed it. He was waiting for Rogue to initiate any further contact. Even with the device Joseph had constructed, which allowed them to truly touch each other, there was a mutual understanding between the two; Rogue would be the one to initiate any flesh to flesh contact. The "rule," as it were, had been set up by Remy, Rogue remembered. He insisted on it. After the trauma she endured when they had first touched, Remy had been terribly afraid that if Rogue absorbed him again, it could do irreparable damage. So, to prevent any accidents, Remy always held off until Rogue made the first move.
And Rogue had every intention of making the first move tonight -- a big move. But that could wait until later. For now, she contented herself with brushing her gloved hand across his cheek. Then, taking him by the arm, she lead him out to the car, and what she hoped would be a perfect, and very fulfilling evening.
**********
"Good dinner, beautiful company; what more could dis Cajun want for a perfect evenin'?"
"Oh, ah bet ah can think of somethin'. 'Sides, night ain't over yet, sugah. Fact is, the best is yet ta come," Rogue drawled suggestively, her accent slightly thicker due to the wine at dinner. Rogue was far from drunk; she had little more than a pleasant buzzing in her head. But, that was enough to bring her Mississippi accent out strong and clear.
"An' what might dat be chere?"
"You'll find out soon 'nough. But first, how 'bout a romantic carriage ride through Central Park?"
"So dat's why you leadin' me out dis way."
"Sure 'nough." Getting the non-too-subtle hint, Remy flagged down one of the passing carriages. First, he helped Rogue inside. Even if he likely needed her help more than she his, a gentleman, even a gentleman thief, always offered his arm to a lady. Then, he climbed in next to her, allowing her to shift into a position that allowed her to lean against him without risking skin contact.
"'Round Central Park," were the last words Remy said for quite awhile. He, and it seemed Rogue, were content to just relax in each others' arms.
Rogue's mind gently drifted back to another carriage ride, just months before. It was a night that had changed her life forever. She had long ago accepted that, for better or worse, her powers were a part of her. She couldn't block her mutant powers without blocking the powers she had absorbed from Ms. Marvel as well, and without those powers she was no good to the X-Men. No matter what she said, or how much she complained, she liked being an X-Man because she could do so much good. In a way, she felt she was redeeming herself for the things she had done with the Sisterhood of Evil Mutants.* Joseph's device allowed her to retain her abilities, her sense of self, while still protecting those she cared about. It allowed her to experience touch without feeling as if she had broken her promise -- a promise to herself to learn to control her powers and not just inhibit them.
For his part, Remy was remembering his first meeting with Rogue. At the time, she had been controlled by the Shadow King, but even then he thought she was beautiful. It started out as flirtatious teasing, as it always did with him. When he learned of her condition, it became a challenge -- and Remy Lebeau never backed down from a challenge. Somewhere along the way though, he fell in love with her. Truthfully, he didn't remember exactly when it happened, but her strength and beauty enraptured him, while her kindred spirit had stolen his heart. She was one of the few people to ever truly understand him. She knew what it was like to have been something, someone, you were ashamed of. She saw it in him as well. She understood him, forgave him and was willing to support him. He couldn't ask for anything more.
So lost in thought and in each other were they, Rogue and Remy barely noticed when the carriage driver came to a stop. Not wanting the mood to end quite so soon, Remy easily slid out of Rogue's embrace long enough to slip the driver a little extra cash and whisper directions to their parked car.
**********
"'Night chere. Dis one of de nicest evenin's I've ever had."
"Goin' so soon. Ah thought a gentleman always escorted a lady to her door. 'Course, you ain't much of a gentleman," Rogue chided good-naturedly.
Remy looked around, a bit confused at Rogue's statement since they were already inside the mansion. He only hesitated slightly before taking the arm Rogue offered and letting her gently lead him up the stairs and to the women's dormitory. As they reached Rogue's door, she placed his arms around her waist and whispered, "How 'bout a goodnight kiss?" So that was her game, he thought. Well, he certainly didn't mind this little surprise; after all, those lips were very inviting.
What happened next was so fast and so unexpected, Remy didn't have time to react at all. With one hand, Rogue opened the door to her room. Then with one swift, but gentle motion, she pulled them both inside the room and shut the door. If he hadn't been sure before what Rogue was planning, he was now. Remy wasn't naive or inexperienced, and he was almost positive he knew what was coming next. He wasn't wrong.
Gently, but firmly, Rogue pushed Remy down on her bed. Seductively, she walked over to her stereo, the CD she had placed in it earlier beginning a soft melody. Hesitantly, Rogue began to sway to the music, fully aware that her tight dress accentuated each move. One by one she removed the long gloves. Then she placed one high-healed foot on the bed, her long leg revealed by the high-slit in the dress, and began to slowly remove her stockings.
Whether Rogue realized it or not, the strip-tease was having the desired effect. Remy was staring at Rogue, mouth agape, and breathing hard. He took in every move as if it were in slow motion. When Rogue began undoing the buttons on the front of her dress in slow, deliberate motions, Remy could feel his manhood strain against the confines of the tuxedo. He gasped when the dress finally fell to the floor, revealing Rogue in a green lace bra and matching panties; her pubic hair teasingly peeking out around the edges. Remy noted with fascination that it was the same auburn color as her hair. Suddenly, he had a terrible urge to find out if she had a white stripe down there as well.
Remy's tuxedo began to feel even more confining then it already had, and when Rogue offered her assistance in removing it, he was more than willing to accept. As the jacket came off, Remy kissed Rogue deeply on the lips. With the tie and vest, he moved down to the nape of her neck. As Rogue worked on his shirt buttons, he nuzzled her ear. Then his arms were around her, pulling her closer. His mouth moved back down her neck and across her shoulder. He felt her shiver, in what he thought was pleasure. But when he felt her hands shake as she reached to undo his pants, a warning buzzed in his head. He tried to ignore it, but then he looked at her face. Her eyes were wide, like a deer caught in headlights and her body shook ever so slightly. The buzzing in his head continued, and this time he listened.
He relaxed his hold on Rogue, simultaneously disentangling himself from her embrace. The look in her eyes went from fear to hurt. She pulled her arms around herself, and asked in the most timid voice Remy had ever heard her use, "What's wrong? Did ah do something wrong?"
Remy sighed. Much as he wished it wasn't true, it looked like Rogue had thrown herself into something she wasn't really ready for. "Chere, ain't nothin' you did wrong. Just ain't right, dat's all."
"And what exactly ain't right!" Rogue demanded, her pride overcoming her fear. "Ain't ah good enough for ya?! Just 'cause ah ain't as experienced as you don't mean you can play with me like this!"
"Whoa, chere. I ain't playin' an' I ain't the one dat started this, so . . ."
"Well excuse me, sugah. Ah just assumed ya wanted this as much as ah did! Guess I was wrong."
"Rogue, now listen a minute. I didn't say I didn't want dis. I do. But, not like dis. Dis ain't de right time. We ain't prepared. You're not ready."
"And who are you to say ah'm not ready!?! Ah oughta be the one to say if ah'm ready or not! It's mah body, not yours!"
"I know dat chere. Dat's why I don' want ta rush into dis. I don't want ta be doin' somethin' you're goin' ta regret later. Don't try ta pretend ya ain't scared girl."
"So what if ah'm scared. Ah ain't never done this before. Ah gotta right ta be scared. That doesn't mean ah don't wanna do this. Ah love ya Remy an' ah thought ya loved me. Ah wanted ta take our relationship ta the next level."
"But do ya want ta do it 'cause ya can, or 'cause it feels right?"
"Ah wanna do it 'cause ah . . . 'cause . . . ah don't know," Rogue said, defeated as she dropped back onto her bed. "Ah thought ah was ready. Ah really did. Ah wanted, still want, this so much, but ah'm scared. Ah've never been this close to someone before, and it's hard ta know if ah'm feelin' this way because ah can finally allow myself to, or if it's because it's what ah really want.
"Ah'm sorry Remy. Ah shouldn't have done this to ya. Ya must think ah'm silly, not knowin' what ah want. Ah wouldn't blame ya if ya never wanted to make love ta me after this. 'Sides, ya can probably make love ta any woman ya want."
"Dat ain't exactly true, chere. Ya right, I can probably have sex with any woman I want. Dat ain't braggin', just de truth. I got 'nough experience wit' women to know how to get it if I want it. But I can't make love ta just anyone. Ta make love, ya gotta have two people who love each other. It can't just be 'bout de sex, it got ta be 'bout wantin' ta share somethin' special wit' de one ya love. I've had plenty of sex, but I've only made love twice. I know da difference, and believe me it's a big one.
"I also know it's worth de wait. I've waited dis long chere, I can wait a little longer 'til you're ready for dis. For now, we take things slow, non? You t'ink ya up ta just lying here in each others arms for awhile?"
"Ah think ah'd like that. An' maybe someday, ah'll be ready for somethin' more."
"Someday, chere, I'm sure you will."
The End
* The Sisterhood of Evil Mutants was mentioned once or twice in reference
to Mystique, Rogue and Destiny. The group was referred to as the New Brotherhood
of Evil Mutants when they were including Blob, Pyro and the rest.