Chapter 6: Happy Birthday
Remy and Rogue stepped into the Recreation room, it was surprisingly silent, no one was staying up late to watch Halloween movies, but then most of the others had gone out trick or treating which would be tiring for them – they were all probably sound asleep by now. Rogue stepped into the dark room, there were three jackolanterns in the room, one on an end table, one in the corner on the floor, and one on top of the TV, their candles lit, their eyes and mouths flickering eerily – it lit the room up in a warm unnatural glow.
Rogue turned the TV on, the classic of all classic horror movies was showing. 'Halloween'. Rogue smirked a little, "this do?" she asked.
"This is fine," Remy stated, he pulled his long leather trenchcoat off, and tossed it onto a chair, and then waited for Rogue to sit on the couch before he sat down himself.
"This has been some night," Rogue yawned, she slid slightly closer to Remy, nervously, she'd never really wanted to be as close to him until after he'd left, he found it surprising when this time she made the first move towards him. He looked at her and smiled a little.
"That it has, Chere, that it has," Remy glanced at the clock on an end table nearby, it had the date on it, "wow, 1st November," he stated.
"Yep," She stared at the screen, the movie had only been on for ten minutes, they hadn't missed any of the good stuff yet,
"Know what 1st November is?" he queried casually.
"Nope, I have a feeling you're gonna tell me though," Rogue smirked.
Remy slung his arm around her shoulders casually, "It's my birthday," he stated.
"You're twenty now then? Wow…" she chewed her lip, "seems so…dangerous, havin' a twenty-year-old's arm round me," she joked.
Remy smirked, "seems so perverted havin' a sixteen year old with her hand on my knee," he remarked.
Rogue looked down, seeing her hand was upon his knee, she had not even noticed, "whoops, sorry," she laughed nervously.
"Leave it there if you want, I don't care," he shrugged, he looked towards the television.
"Remy? Why'd you lie for me?" Rogue asked.
"Huh?" He raised an eyebrow.
"In the Professor's office, why did you lie for me?"
"Because I'm a very good liar," Remy admitted, "and…I owe you," he looked at her, "I'm going to start making it up to you, Rogue, everything I did wrong, I'll make up to you, I mean it," he drew an invisible cross across his chest with his finger
Rogue looked at him, "are you sure you want to be with me, I mean REALLY sure?" she asked suddenly.
"Course," he nodded, "If I didn't want to be with you, I wouldn't even BE here right now," he looked at her, "I don't usually stay anywhere long enough to be with anyone long term," he said.
Rogue looked away, feeling once again concerned over the flings he'd talked about having in the past, "were they good?" she asked quietly.
"Eh?" Remy was glancing at the screen.
"The girls you've slept with, were they good?"
"They were sufficient," Remy shrugged, "served a purpose if nothing else," he shrugged.
"Remy!" Rogue gaped.
"Huh?" he looked at her confusedly.
"How could you have ever thought of women in that way?!" she demanded in shock.
"It was the way they thought of me, Chere. Most the girls I been with all wanted one night stands, it wasn't as if it wasn't mutual," he shrugged, "anyway, those day's are over now, for sure," he reminded.
"How will I know that?" Rogue demanded, "I mean how will I know you're not going around hanging out of every hooker in Louisiana or something?"
"What, you gonna put a chastity belt on me now?" he asked. "Stop me from dipping my cookie into other girls milk?" he grinned.
Rogue shoved him playfully, "you're so gross…"
"You like that about me," Remy smirked, "otherwise you wouldn't put up with me," he rubbed her shoulder a little.
Rogue rested her head against his shoulder, feeling exhaustion settling over her, she yawned a little, "I don't know why I put up with you."
"Because I put up with you," Remy remarked.
Rogue smirked, "probably," she watched the television for a moment, "Happy birthday, by the way…" she said after a time.
"Thanks," he murmured.
"What'd you wish for?"
"I haven't blown out any candles yet, Chere," Remy reminded.
Rogue smirked, "so blow one out, there's one in that pumpkin on the TV," she gestured.
"Alright," he smirked, and got up, she kicked his back side playfully as he stepped away.
Rogue watched him take the lid off the jackolantern, and he blew the candle out, a soft white smoke rose from the tip of the candle into the air, Remy put the lid back on and then moved back to her.
"Happy now?"
"What'd you wish for?"
Remy chewed his lip, "that I'll never do anything stupid to hurt you again," he looked at her.
Rogue felt her heart melt, "really?" she smiled.
"Really…I…I hurt you too many times already, couldn't stand it if I did it, again," he looked at her.
"You won't hurt me again, Remy," Rogue convinced him.
Remy looked at her, he only hoped she was right.
Rogue rested back against him, with his arm around her, she felt protected and safe – and loved, and cherished, all the things she'd wanted to feel for the longest time. She didn't even need to feel his skin to appreciate him right then. She closed her eyes and began to drift into a peaceful sleep.
When she awoke, it was seven am in the morning, and she was sprawled across the couch, on her own, she leaned up tiredly, yawning, noting Remy wasn't there.
"Oh great, he left," she muttered bitterly to himself. Seemed he was barely around long enough these days for her to get to know him better – as much as she wanted to.
She sat up, remembering falling asleep in his arms, remembering the last things they'd spoke about, she realised she was beginning to trust him again, and it felt nice, it felt reassuring.
Something on the coffee table caught her eye. A playing card face down on the coffee table, she picked it up and turned it around so that she could see the face, it was the ace of hearts. She smirked a little to herself, but then felt terribly alone, wondering this time if he'd make it back to the X-Men – back to her.
