Disclaimer: Don't own them, though I wish I did.
Finally. Normally Jean was out here early each morning walking around, but this morning she'd been late. Almost given him enough time to regret blowing his cover.
"Jean…" Speaking so low as if to be almost inaudible, Remy grabbed his friend's shoulders and pulled her into the shadows. She stared at him in shock for a moment, then frowned, awaiting what he was going to say. She knew he'd be back, just not thing soon. "How is she?" He hissed at her, an urgent gleam in his demon eyes. This couldn't be Gambit, now that she looked closer at him. And his personality…? For some strange reason she knew he had changed.
Somehow she couldn't bear for Rogue to see Remy like this. No, that would kill her. To know what her harsh words had thrust upon him. Obviously he hadn't been doing much thieving lately, his tattered clothes attested to that fact. Actually, he was wearing the same trenchcoat as he always used to, granted, it was far more threadbare, but it was one in the same. He had the beginnings of a full-fledged beard, and his hair was even more askew then usual. "She's doing great Remy… don't go and spoil it for her. She's been waiting two years to get you out of her head and she's finally done it, so don't go in there and screw up her life again."
At this she noticed him clench and unclench his hand several times. "Why not? Why can't I see her? Why can I tell her what she did to me?" He sighed. "She's no victim." At this he turned to the shadows, then looked back "Don't tell no one about this. Nobody can know I'm here." And gone he was.
Sighing, Jean glanced up to where she could see Rogue's window. Damn. How could she keep this from one of her friends? She wasn't one for gossip, but she needed to tell someone. Anyone. Scott would tell her to tell Rogue, Logan might impale her… Storm, She took off for the mansion at a run.
***
"You mean to say that Remy is alive if not well, and seeking out Rogue?" At this she frowned. A normal Gambit could break a heart in a second flat, an angry Gambit…? "It isn't our place to intrude, however, I propose that watch her carefully. He would never hurt her physically, unless he's gone insane, but the man is a tried and true heartbreaker." Jean nodded.
***
"Merde. " he spat angrily. "Gambit's an idiot. Should have known that she's getting along fine wit'out him. Should've known she'd forget all about him eventually" Glaring at the barkeep for no reason except to scare the poor man half to death, he downed another mug of liquor. If he kept this up he might be drunk enough by midnight that he would just go an tell her without any regrets at the time. Beside him sat down gracefully a young woman, eyes dark and limpid, framed by luxuriant lashes.
"Hello handsome" she purred deep in her throat, recognizing him from a few years back when he was flirting with every female above the age of six. Surprisingly, this time he just glared at her and waved off her advances absently. Bastard. Insulted, she flounced off, still trying to get his attention, but to no avail. So, she, like all the other patrons who had flocked to the handsome thief's side, left in a huff.
"You're killing me Chere" He muttered under his tainted breath. "I'm still not flirtin in case you and Gambit git back together."
Another cute little witch sauntered up to him and gave his hair a light pull, but this time he didn't even react, just stared lazily off into space.
***
Damn that lanky son of a bitch, He was supposed to have come back by now so that she could either punch his face in or kiss him without fear for the first time in her life. Damn him. She was over grieving about her horrible mistake, now he was supposed to come so she could apologize. Shit. She was sure she had seen his shadow that day talking with Storm and Jubilee, but apparently he wasn't going to come. Pulling out a brush from her drawer, she began to comb out the still damp hair.
"It's not like he was the most reliable man in the world even when he was here" she consoled herself, then grinned. The night was still young, and, Jube was right, it was time to test this old body of hers. She wasn't gonna sleep with some guy, but she WAS gonna dance until her legs fell off.
***
The stench hit her from a mile off. Her first thought was that Logan was in the vicinity, but then she remembered her destination and figured it was just the smell of that, not a furry mutant doused in beer. Setting down just outside the small bar she walked in, grinning but not appreciating the wolf-whistles as much as she though she would. No matter. Swiveling her hips slightly, she sat down on one of the stools and looked around at the atmosphere. Nothing to bad, not seedy like most of the places Logan was dragged back from some times. A catchy tune was playing, and Rogue rose from her seat and began to dance eagerly. A couple of too-eager young men got thoroughly yelled at, but generally they were a fairly well-mannered group.
Ahh, there was a tasy catch. From the back of the top of his head anyways. Tall, might be a good dancer. Hmm… more of him. A nice long ponytail, pretty color of hair though it was distorted under the glare of the artificial lights. Threadbare trenchcoat. Bit seedy, but hey, her own taste in clothes tended to be a bit odd.
But something was odd. The tip of a playing card protruded from one of his back pockets.
Suddenly a light went on, and she trembled a bit despite the intense heat.