Chapter One: Gambit

                Remy stood beneath a tree in the regal backyard of the rebuilt Xavier's Institute For Gifted Children, a card table opened, and several of the students sitting at it in lawn chairs as the trench-coated cajun dealt out another hand of black jack. He'd all ready taken nearly $50 from the kids, and he wasn't stopping now.

Across the yard walked Rogue and Kitty, exiting Scott's car.

                "Jooo voodray.. like, fareway?"

                Rogue groaned audibly at Kitty, who was reading from her French book. "Would ya quit that drawlin' before Ah claw my ears out?"

                Kitty gave an innocent, too-perky grin before looking past Rogue at the small group gathered under the tree. They walked over to observe the betting.

                Remy flips out the cards like an old pro, eyes always on the table. "Duece fo' da Iceman... Nine down da table... Ah, da beautiful Queen o' Hearts up next... And da Ace o' Clubs fo' Remy." He goes around, getting bets, hits and stands, that sort of thing. Of course, in the end, the only person left with any money was the charismatic man from the Big Easy. After only a few more hands of that the kids start to disperse, not wanting to lose any more money. Remy grabs one of the chairs and sits down, kicking his feet up on the table and crossing his ankles, counting his winnings.

                Rogue watched the proceedings with visible disgust, not sure who deserved the most scolding - Remy for taking the students' money, or the children for betting in the first place! Cradling her school books in her arms, she said to Kitty with an open look of contempt at Remy, "Ah thought Ah smelled somethin'."  

                Kitty was giving Remy her own trademarked scolding/pouting look.

                "How could you do that? Don't you know gambling's illegal??"

                He took his time, counting everything out before he paid them any attention. He lifted his head and examined each with his red eyes before he smiled brightly and stood, sliding the money into a pocket as he walked around the table, though he took a twenty in each hand as he did. He slid an arm around each girl and leaned in to talk with them.

                "Such beautiful young flowa's as yo'selves must like ta buy pretty things fo yo'selves..." He flipped the twenties out and held one in front of each. "Now, why don' yo just waltz yo pretty little selves inside and jus' fo'get about dis, Cheri's?"

                Rogue hastily pushed his arm away, turning to face him, while Kitty gazed longingly at the twenty, before her conscience took over. "Like, no way! You totally can't bribe us. I think you should give those kids their money back right now, don't you agree Rogue?"

Rogue just stood there glowering at him. Her original anger at his gambling was tinged with a sudden panic - didn't he know what would happen if he got too close to her skin?

                "Ah think he'd do best to give it back. Don't think the Professor doesn't know, or at least won't find out.." Even if the spook wasn't 'watching', the chances that Rogue would tattle were slim.

                He chuckled softly, leaning a bit closer to Kitty, collecting both bills in one hand. "Now, Cheri, yo' friend ain' be very nice ta Remy, but he'll still give yo a chance ta think it ova', maybe a bit mo' money would help?" He leaned in, whispering softly in her ear in French, the trick that usually got them, though his eyes glanced toward Rogue as he did.

                Kitty, like the outrageously giddy girl she is, lifted a hand to her mouth as she giggled, more pleased at the intimate gesture than at the promise of more money. Rogue nearly gaped at the display - who did he think he was? First bribery, then petty flirting with a girl who was more than a prime target. With a bit of an annoyed growl, Rogue grabbed Kitty's (clothed) upper arm and jerked her unceremoniously away from Remy.

                "It's time ta go, Kitty. Let the swamp rat keep his money."

                Kitty blinked at Remy as if snapped out of a trance, but then remembered why she was mad at him in the first place. "Right."

                With that, Rogue led Kitty back towards the dorms, though she suddenly wondered what was worse - putting up with Remy's crap or listening to Kitty practice her French.

                He smiled and started folding up the table. They wouldn't be trouble, it was an easy thing to figure out. After living on the street long enough you learned how to read people...

                                                                                                * * *

                Later that night, as the students gather in the dining room, Remy already finished his meal, standing and walking out, cards in hand, flying the deck from one hand to another as if it were on a string, leaving his seat for someone who still needed it for food. He entered the common room, pulling off his trench coat, the black sleeveless shirt, a few strands from where the sleeves had been torn off, and blue jeans coming out from beneath as he sat and turned on the TV, still fiddling with his cards.

                The handful of kids that were in the living room already didn't offer him any sort of greeting - they were still bitter from losing their money. Evan, who was not there to gamble, was the only one who looked up while channel surfing. He nodded.

                "Hey man. Heard you smoked Iceman today at black jack." He grinned. "Nice."

                He grinned like a child and shrugged. "Da cahds and I have a little undastandin'... I neva' lose." He quickly shuffles the cards and slides them out in a line of the coffee table, then picks on, seemingly and random, and rather than just turning it over he gives a flick of his wrist, sending the card whirling up in the air. As it hits its peak it is very clear the card is the Ace of Spades, then it drifts down into Remy's outstretched hand. "Neva'."

                Rogue started down the stairs, not really intent on eating - she wasn't very hungry - but looking forward to taking her usual spot on the couch to observe the other students. Everyone knew she wasn't one to socialize, but she liked to people watch, sort of like a cautious feline who watches a group but never comes over. As she walked into the living room she stopped short at the sight of that Cajun idiot playing with his cards. About face. Rogue turned to head into the kitchen instead before almost colliding with Scott.

                "Oh, hey Rogue. Sorry, I almost ran into you there."

                Hastily Rogue looked at the floor, and might have blushed if not for all her goth makeup. She had reminded herself over and over that she was way over Scott, but it was still odd and uncomfortable being around him.

                "Hi.."

                Remy looked back and caught sight of Rogue, as did most of the room, though the others just went back to what they were doing. This wasn't really anything new to them. Gossip always spread like wildfire through high schools. Remy nudged Evan with an elbow as he turned back around. "Would yo' be so kind as ta fill meh in as ta who da black an' white beauty is, mon petit ami?"

                Evan glanced back again and shrugs.

                "That's Rogue... she doesn't talk much. Real gothy and scary, that type... She has a crush on Scott, or at least did. The grapevine is still recovering from having the institute demolished. I'm sure everyone will know in just a few days." He grinned and went back to the ESPN broadcast on the TV, a BMX street competition. Remy stood and walked around the couch, leaving his coat where he had been sitting just so no one else would wander in and sit down while he was... busy. He leaned against the back of the couch and peeled a card off the top of his deck, charged it slightly, not enough to hurt, before he flicked it at Rogue's behind, watching with a devious grin as it detonates. Pretty much the equivalent of getting slapped on the ass, but still enough to make her jump.

                As Scott sort of stood there looking a bit dumbfounded at Rogue's random shyness, the card flew, and Rogue's ass was essentially slapped. The surprise made her jump forward, sending her into Scott who carefully caught her by the shoulders. She would have blushed if she wasn't so afraid for his life. She pulled herself away from him quickly while turning to glare at Remy.

                "What the hell, swamp rat?!"

                Scott, being the fatherly figure, responsible leader, Abercrombie model type, looked at Remy disapprovingly. He was still pretty clueless as to Rogue's crush, but disliked people teasing her anyway - he knew how hard it was for her to assimilate, though he could never truly understand. He used Remy's codename to further emphasize his leadership standing.

                "Gambit, you know the rules about using pyrotechnics indoors."

Rogue, on the other hand, was already itching to fight, crossing the room to reach for Remy's deck.

                "Let's see how cocky ya are without your damn cards!"

                He shrugged and dropped the cards in his pockets, looking towards Cyclops.

                "Ah, it is no pyrotechnic, mon dirigeant, no fire at all. Jus' a little snap. Like dis little fiyacrackah right heye." He smiled at Rogue, watching her approach, and not making a move to defend himself or pulling his cards back out, but still looking like the most confident bastard in the world.

                Rogue stopped stalking towards him at that comment, and without her former target in sight. Scott looked into the kitchen where Jean was, and looked back to Remy with a shrug before leaving.

                "I was telling you for your own safety.. Don't blame me when she has you unconscious on the floor."

                Scott meant it as a joke - to show how easily Rogue was able to take him down. A compliment, really. But the fact behind it still made Rogue flinch. As if she needed to be reminded?! Still, with that cocky grin sending her into a rage, it wasn't beginning to sound like a bad idea after all.

                He watched her stop and chuckled softly.

                "Lose ya steam, Cheri?" He pushed off from the couch and closed the distance between them, grin softened to a smile and he looked down at the girl, not much younger than him, really, and there was something in her eyes that set her apart from the others. She wasn't naive, wouldn't fall for his tricks as easily. Oh well. He let his voice quiet a bit, to keep the conversation between them.

                "No hahd feelin's, right Cheri? Jus' havin' a bit o' fun, hope Ah didn' leave any marks on that cute little bottom of yours." His grin returned, charm and charisma showing through despite the somewhat sexist attitude.

                Rogue was caught short at the sudden lack of distance. The team had had a few weeks to familiarize themselves with He-Who-Was-Remy. Sure, he was a gambling, sexist pig who was a nonstop flirt. But the one thing Rogue still found herself starting at was his eyes. And who wouldn't? They were black and red. Besides, it's not like she ever had a chance to get used to staring into them, right?

                Remy's remark about her butt, though, snapped her out of her train of thought as another disgusted snarl seized her features. Words couldn't have put it better, and without them, Rogue shoved Remy full force (not much, but hey, she's not some scrawny kid like Kitty) towards the back of the couch.

                Remy stumbled back and chuckled as he assumed his leaning-against-the-couch position again with a shrug.

                "Come now, cher, Remy ain' dat bad, now is he?"He sighed and frowned, looking for the world like a hurt puppy with demonic eyes. "Why, it's almost like ya don' care fo' ol' Remy..."

                The other kids in the room glanced up as Remy stumbled back, snickering. Rightly that he should get his payback for cheating them out of their money.

                "Suck him dry, Rogue!" The first comment from Scott, meant as a compliment, she could shrug off, but this second one seemed to hurt just the same, if not more. She looked at the kids with a surge of annoyance. Sorry, Iceman, for not having the power to freeze people, or to impale people like Spyke, or use telekinesis like Jean. Her power sucked (no pun intended), and she didn't need reminding - not to mention her little social hindrance. She spun on her heel first walking towards the kitchen, stopping when she saw Scott and Jean. With an audible groan she turned again into the hallway. Maybe she could give Logan a run for his money.

                Remy shook his head. "Now, yo' petit ones jus' don' know how ta behave like a proper gentleman should." He grinned as the others laughed and grabbed his coat, heading for the front door, deciding to catch a bit of lone training outside.