Chapter 1: Study-Time
She was sitting at the rectangular fine mahogany table in the library of the mansion, a sea of books and crumpled up pieces of paper surrounding her. Her hair was pulled back in a simple – and rather untidy – ponytail, and her makeup was thick, and dark, emphasising the colour of her eyes – a dark olive green – and the complexion of her naturally ashen skin.
He stood watching for some time, she seemed to be writing an essay of some kind, but she seemed less interested in doing this, and every so often, her eyes would sway towards the window, and she'd remain deep in thought.
Rogue was unaware Remy LeBeau had been watching her for several moments now, she was barely even aware of what her essay was about yet, which was why she'd made so many mistakes and crumpled up her work and tossed it with all the other pieces of paper on the table.
If she had known Remy LeBeau stood at the door – which was hanging only slightly ajar – watching her through the crack, she might have felt flattered, but of course, she would have never let him know that. Despite it having been over two months since Rogue had begun to stop harassing the man every chance she got, she still did not want him ever knowing she thought of him as more than even tolerable.
"Kitty?" Rogue asked, Kitty Pryde was sitting next to her reading from a rather large history book.
"Uh huh?" Kitty asked, she never even took her blue eyes off of the page she was reading for a second.
"What time is it?"
"One thirty," Kitty said, she did not raise her eyes from the book, Rogue was confused how she could have known. But Rogue grabbed a hold of Kitty's arm and glanced at the silver watch on her wrist, it was indeed, one thirty.
Rogue sighed. She hated being schooled at home, especially when it meant having Professor Xavier, Ororo and Hank as teachers. Professor Xavier and Ororo were especially strict when it came to teaching, and it usually meant no talking, no eating or drinking during class times, and no convenient breaks. Everything seemed to run at the same pace it did at Bayville high, except now the classes were even harder to cope with.
The only good thing about being home schooled at the Mansion was the two hour study period they got from 1pm until 3pm in the Library, and it was always unsupervised, which meant they spent less time studying and more time talking, or throwing paper aeroplanes around the room at each other.
Rogue looked around the room. Kurt was sitting in a chair by the fireplace reading, and so was Evan, Scott and Jean were no where to be found. "Where's the lovebirds?" she asked Kitty casually.
"They went elsewhere to study," Kitty responded, she was chewing on a pencil, her eyes still locked on her large book.
"Study? Yeah, right," Rogue muttered. "I bet they're making out as we speak," she added miserably.
"Why do you care?" Kitty asked, still not raising her eyes from the book.
"I don't," Rogue stated very morosely.
"You really are pining after Scott!" Kitty gasped in an excited voice, she looked right at Rogue then, and let out a laugh of surprise.
"I am not!" Rogue hissed, "and keep your voice down!" she whispered, she pointed her eyes to Kurt and Evan, who were out of earshot, but so easily could have heard Kitty's loud high pitched squeals.
"I thought you'd tell me if you were into him," Kitty sulked.
"I'm not," Rogue stated, she tossed an eraser at Kitty playfully. "He's way too clean cut," she added, lying badly. She knew full well that despite any lies she could tell, that Kitty Pryde could just look at her and know from the look on her face whether she was lying or not.
Kitty smirked, "Sure…"
Rogue was about to put up a little more defence from her side, when the tall and handsome Remy LeBeau – who had been watching Rogue for some time from the door hanging slightly ajar, sauntered in. He wore a white tanktop, and it set a perfect contrast against his perfect tan, and complimented his well built arms. His faded jeans were torn at the knee. His hair had grown a little longer, and still remained dishevelled, but with his rugged good looks, it was something he could get away with.
He walked over to opposite to where Rogue was sitting, and he shoved some of her books to the side and sat halfway on the table, turned towards her, he looked right at her with a grin.
"Can…I help you?" Rogue looked at him confusedly. She heard Kitty giggle under her breath.
"How are things, ma Cherie," Remy asked, he looked at her in a smouldering way.
"Boring, I'm meant to be studying," Rogue pointed out, she tossed a pencil at him. "Aren't you meant to be sweeping leaves from the driveway or something?" she asked in a dry tone.
"Oui," Remy responded. Since Remy LeBeau refused to take any further schooling in the mansion – being nineteen and all – he was set with chores to do every day. He usually did them – without much complaint. But frequently he'd be found taking breaks when he shouldn't – and always found the right excuse when one of the adults caught him.
"Then go do them," Rogue waved him off.
"I'm on a break," he stated, "And I thought I'd come see you…" he pulled himself right onto the table and lay across it, his feet ended up on Kitty's books, Kitty gave a snort of contempt of this, and yanked her books from under his feet.
Rogue looked at him, he was laying across the table in a very becoming pose. He reminded her of some nude male model on a painting or a statue. Rogue frowned, "You'll get me and Kitty into trouble."
"I was thinking," Remy stated, ignoring her words, "maybe me and you go to a movie tonight, non?"
"No…" Rogue looked at him, she felt her cheeks flustering, not sure if he was asking her out on a date, or anything else, either way she could feel everyone else looking at her, her cheeks grew more crimson than before.
"Awwww, c'mon," he looked at her with intense eyes of black – with ruby-coloured irises. Rogue felt a chill creep up her spine as she looked back at those eyes.
"I can't," Rogue said sternly, "me and Kitty have plans tonight…" she lied, it being the first excuse she could think of.
Kitty spoke up, "We do?" she asked, this being news to her.
Rogue kicked her under the table and glanced at her warningly.
"Oh, yeah," Kitty winced, "Yeah, we made those plans yesterday," she lied.
Remy looked at Kitty and laughed, "Is that so?"
"Yes, uhm…we…" Kitty looked at Rogue for another excuse, but Rogue didn't seem to have an answer to what those plans could have been.
Remy raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to finish the sentence.
"We're gonna go out for Pizza…" Kitty finally decided.
Remy lowered his eyebrow, and smiled in a most charming way, "Well, I don't think you'll mind me stealing your friend for a night. You can always hang out another time," he turned back to Rogue and smiled in a very victorious way – as if he'd just passed a challenge.
"Yeah, Rogue, he's right you know," Kitty admitted, as if she'd fallen under the spell of the charming Cajun.
"Meet you at seven on the porch," Remy grinned, and then pulled himself up and left.
Kitty laughed, "wow…"
Rogue's cheeks were scarlet, "He's so embarrassing."
"He just asked you on a date, Rogue…" Kitty stated, the pitch of her voice hitting higher notes with obvious excitement for Rogue.
"He did not," Rogue stated, "Just 'cause a guy wants you to go see a movie with him does not make it a date," she remarked calmly, she picked up a pencil and tried to add another sentence to the essay, clearly wanting to drop the conversation altogether.
"I don't get it," Kitty suddenly stated, "before I left for the end of summer you were at his throat near enough, now you actually have a crush on him."
"I do NOT have a crush on him," Rogue stammered. "I'll admit…he is kind of…good looking…but he's just not my type…"
"Sure," Kitty laughed, "It's like, so obvious that you like him," she put her hand over her mouth to stifle another laugh, she saw Evan glance over at both of them questioningly.
Rogue hissed, "Sssh!" she kicked Kitty again.
"Ow!" Kitty winced, "You're vicious! Are you forgetting your strength?"
"Sorry," Rogue bit her lip, "I'm still not used to it, yet…"
Kitty looked at Rogue, her big blue eyes curious, "Rogue…what happened when I was away?"
"What do you mean?" Rogue doodled a little picture on a nearby blank sheet of paper.
"I mean how can you be fighting with someone, and suddenly okay with them the next?" Kitty asked inquisitively, she leaned a little closer, keeping her voice down so the boys wouldn't hear. Kitty had to admit, the whole thing had puzzled her for the last few months, but she'd never really found an appropriate time to query Rogue about it. With all the new plans the Mansion had gone through, and with all the sorting out of school subjects and schedules and new classes, everything at home had been crazy and with so much going on, there hadn't seemed like the right time to ask Rogue why suddenly she could tolerate Remy.
"Its had to explain," Rogue stated, she didn't want to say too much – she wasn't sure how Remy would take it if Kitty also knew his secrets – that he'd been betrothed, and chased by his future wife's brother, and stabbed. Having come to the X-Men for help and protection. It'd seem downright embarrassing.
"Did he tell you his secret?" Kitty asked, she'd well believe the only thing that would convince Rogue to let up with the hostility towards Remy would be for him to tell her the secrets she'd badgered him for since he'd joined the X-Men. Remy had never given any indication he'd told Rogue anything. Which left Kitty quite suspicious.
"Lets just say…everything is fine now," Rogue smiled a little.