Chapter 37: One Year Together
Christmas came and went, the cold peaking around Valentine's Day, and finally thawing around mid March. Public school ended, and the students of Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters were filled once again with bored crowds of pool-going children.
Rogue and Remy were still restricted to the grounds while the government monitored their 'progress', and the two awaited the day that they'd be set free. The house arrest left Rogue more generally agitated and annoyed at certain people than usual.
Bitterly, she mused that she must now what it felt like for Carol to be trapped within her mind. Remy had become her only distraction from the restlessness she felt, but that in itself was filled with a tension all its own.
Finally the day of their one year anniversary came about, and Remy was prepared. Around 6 pm he led Rogue out onto the school grounds, and headed for the spot where he had his first picnic with her.
"Yo' gonna like dis, chere, Remy sho' dat yo' will..."
He grinned and looked down at her, obviously anxious to show her his surprise.
Rogue looked around at the as they neared place they'd shared their first kiss, or series of kisses. The last ones, too. It was a hot summer evening, and Rogue wore a long dark green skirt, a black tank top with a sheer black shirt that covered her arms, and black gloves. She walked alongside Remy, holding his hand, and looked up at him.
"Come on, ya can't keep me waitin'."
Remy chuckled and shook his head.
"Well de wait is ovah cause we heah, p'tite..." As they rounded the bushes in the dieing light the scene looked just beautiful. There were candles set all around the blanket, and a bottle of wine, two glasses, and a bucket of ice sat in the middle. "Remy used some of his connections ta get yo' a real special gift..."
Rogue froze as she took in the sight, heart melting. The last rays from the sunset cast a warm orange glow about the scene, and the candle light had just begun to shine white against the shadows of the trees. It was picture perfect. She squeezed his hand, wishing now more than ever that she were able to thank him more personally.
"It's so sweet, Remy. Ah really don't deserve ya." Her smile turned into a faint smirk as she noted the wine. "Although Ah dunno if Logan or the Professah would approve of underage drinkin'." And would that stop her? Absolutely not.
Remy shrugged and led her onto the blanket.
"We all ready undah arrest, chere, Remy don' t'ink it mattah none." He sat her down, then sat with her, and grinned. "Remy also t'ought, fo' nostalgia, he recreate our first date too..." He pulled her gloves off for her and tossed them onto the blanket, and took her hands in his. "Leech didn' mind any."
Rogue looked at her hands in his, a smile spreading slowly across her face. She knew what that meant, but thought this time she might practice a little self control over her shock and anxiety. But that didn't mean she was about to practice self control in any other areas.
Leaning forward, Rogue claimed his lips before he had any chance to avoid it, breaking the kiss shortly thereafter just as the pent up desires she'd been holding in for a year began to take over. No use wasting it, she was determined to make it last.
Remy smiled and reached up to caress her cheek.
"Remy sho' miss dat chere... But it was worth de wait..." He let her go to pick up the two wine glasses and filled them with the lovely blush wine that smelled just delicious. He handed one of the glasses to her, and held his own up. "A toast, ta yo', chere."
She smiled and shook her head lightly, holding hers up in turn.
"Ta us."
Clinking glasses, Rogue tilted hers back slightly to taste the wine. She'd had it before, as a girl during Christmas and other occasions, and she'd never had a real taste for it. But now, perhaps helped by the romantic mood of the setting and way the fading light made Remy's skin glow, it tasted sweet and full. It warmed her from the inside out as it went down. She glanced at the glass appreciatively.
"Where did ya manage ta find it?" Alcohol had no place in a school.
Remy chuckled as he sipped his own glass, then put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to watch the sunset.
"Ah, de Morlocks is helpful fo' mo' den yo' know, chere... An' dey have ways of talkin' dat would confuse even de Prafessah's telepathic ol' brain."
Rogue grinned and leaned into him, delighted at the smallest brush of skin and the slightest feather touch. She felt freer, despite the long months of confinement. There was something she had to do, and she took a sip of wine to soothe the impending nerves. Releasing his free hand from hers, she reached into her pocket, fingers grasping a small object.
"Hey, Ah got ya somethin'.. It's nothin' much, but Ah thought ya might appreciate it."
Remy blinked.
"Aww, chere, yo' didn' have ta do dat..."
He reached out and caressed her fingers a bit, curious about what lay beneath. He kissed the top of her head and waited, feeling perfectly... well, perfect to be there with her, able to touch her, acting like any normal couple might. He really didn't mind their relationship, it just made these moments all the more special.
Rogue's smiled faded a bit into a more serious expression as she pressed the object into his hand. It was a rectangular plate of silver on a chain, roughly the size of a dog tag. On the front, there embossed were three rings overlapping side by side, and nothing more. It was a symbol of a bond, support, and above all, unity and oneness. On the reverse side of the plate, three lines were engraved in a plain script:
centeriWhen you are beside me,
I feel that my self
has returned to myself./i/center
It said everything that needed to be said, so Rogue remained silent.
Remy read the inscription then squeezed it in his hand. He put it into his pocket gently, then turned to her and leaned her back a bit. With a soft smile, eyes moist with tears, he gives her a deep, soulful kiss that poured all of the emotion and want from the past year into that one, lovely moment.
Rogue leaned back, returning the kiss with no less passion as she brought her hands up to caress the sides of his face. Whenever he was with her, especially now, nothing else mattered. Trask, the Friends of Humanity; even Carol was completely forgotten. The bits of personality she'd lost and gained over time, which made her question what parts of her identity truly belong to her, were swept away, and once again she felt.. singular.
Remy finally broke the kiss with a soft sigh and looked into her eyes for a long moment, then he chuckled and pulled her up with him.
"Don' wan' dis wine ta go ta waste, chere... Remy gotta get yo' all liqoured up fo' de rest of his plan ta work." He grinned, joking of course, and picked up his wine to sip at it. "Mmm... Remy really love yo' present, chere... He hope yo' like his too, dough his ain' as sweet an lovely as yo's."
Rogue straightened and grinned at his joke, taking a long sip in response. Her heart was pounding, and her breath had quickened slightly. Why had made her so nervous? It was just Remy. 'Just'. The wine had become even more necessary. She smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder, free hand coming up to brush against his neck and jaw.
"There's nothin' Ah'd want more than this.. It's the sweetest, loveliest thing anyone's ever done for me."
Remy smiled and sighed happily. He set his glass down, then took a deep breath and let it out slowly. With that done he stood and held a hand down toward her, then glanced out at the sunset. This was the perfect moment. All the deep reds, purples, yellows, oranges... Beautiful. Just right. Then he looked back at her and gave his most charming smile.
Rogue stood and gazed dreamily out over the horizon, taking his hand. She remembered the last time they were here together; she'd been convinced it was a dream. Now was no different, though this time she was less inclined to believe it. There was no way she'd allow herself to deny the realness. She looked back up at Remy, smiling almost amusedly at him.
"And what's that for?"
Remy held a finger up to her lips to quiet her, then slid his hand down her cheek, and around to the back of her neck. His other arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her to him. He leaned in, looked right into her eyes, and whispered three little words.
"Je vous aime."
With that he kissed her again, just as deeply as before, if not more-so.
Her eyes drifted closed, letting the year's worth of unquenched passion surge forth, stopping only for breath. Her hands roamed across his shoulders before coming up to his neck, savoring the soft feel of his skin.
She wondered if this was what it was like to be normal, having the pleasure to kiss your loved one whenever you want. No, this was different. No one kiss between a normal couple could be as special or as heartfelt as this.
When he was finally able to pull his lips from hers he panted and looked at her, a hand coming to her cheek, his face flushed.
"Remy wait so long ta tell yo' dat, p'tite... He wan'ed ta wait fo' de perfect moment... He finally find it..."
He kissed her lips quickly, then his lips wandered, down her cheek, her jawline, and to the soft flesh of her neck.
She tilted her head back, a shiver running through her body. Her breath came in short gasps, and her skin was hot to the touch. Rogue barely could find the sense of mind to speak, and her voice was a small whisper.
"Ah love you..."
With the words came the burning sting of tears. Her entire mutant existence was set up around avoiding this exact situation. And now, for the life of her, she could never imagine giving it up. Why had she denied herself for so long? It wasn't until him, who could make her feel whole again.
Remy finally managed to pull himself away he grinned at her.
"We gonna have ta do dis every year, p'tite..." He picked up their glasses of wine and handed hers over. "Dis call fo' anothah toast, chere..." He raised his glass, the last rays of sunlight sparkling in the wine. "Dis one... To love..."
Rogue steadied her breath and took the glass in her hand, smiling back. The tiny note rang out as she touched her glass gently to his, then drank deeply. She wasn't sure if it was the wine or the company that made her feel more calm and elated, but she decided that a combination of the two wasn't such a bad thing. Her eyes closed and she leaned in once more, whispering again. It just felt so right to say.
"Ah love you."
Remy finished off his glass and dropped it to the blanket, then wrapped his arms tightly around her as if he would never let go. She had been right in her gift, together they were one, whole. Everything was perfect as long as he had her there with him, even if they wouldn't be able to touch each other again after this. It didn't matter. Nothing matter but her. He kissed the top of her head and inhaled deeply, taking in her scent.
"Remy love yo' too, p'tite..."
