Chapter 2: Enchanting
Rogue came down the stairs at exactly 7pm, as she did, the grandfather clock in the hall chimed. Remy LeBeau was leaning against the wall, obviously waiting for Hank, Logan and Professor Xavier to arrive – waiting for anyone but Rogue. However, despite he didn't really want to look at her at all right now, when she came down the stairway wearing what she was, he could barely breathe from the shock of how beautiful she looked – more beautiful than he thought he'd ever seen her.
She was wearing a long, black velvet dress with thin spaghetti straps holding it off her milky white shoulders, a pair of elegant black laced gloves that continued all the way up her arms protected her arms from the chance of any accidental touch, and she had a fine silvery shawl, that sparkled only very slightly when she moved. Her hair pinned and twisted in an exotic style with many tiny sparkling butterfly clips, and her face was tainted with only a trace of mascara and pale pink eyeshadow, her lips were a soft glistening pink.
Rogue looked down at him, she could see by the look on his face he had not expected her to look this way, in fact, she'd barely thought she would look this way herself, but it was Christmas eve, and she wanted to make an effort to look nice for the occasion, this was a very exclusive restaurant and she didn't want people staring at her any more than they had to – the white streak would be enough to gain stares, but any gothic wear would probably make her the centre of unwanted hostile attention in such a place.
Remy himself looked very smart, his hair tied back save the few bangs and tresses that weren't long enough to fit into the hair tie, he wasn't donning his black leather trench coat. He was wearing a black suit – one that she decided looked like a designer suit – with a black shirt, no tie. He was clean shaven apart from his goatee. A lit cigarette dangled from his mouth, he didn't take his eyes off of her. Their eyes met, Rogue took her eyes off of him quickly.
Hank McCoy came wandering out of an archway, Rogue didn't recognise him at first, and it wasn't because he was wearing a smart suit and tie, but rather the fact that the image transducer – like the one Kurt always wore – had made him look like his previous more human looking self rather than the blue furred Beast everyone knew and loved.
"Wow, Hank, lookin' very dapper there," Rogue leaned on the banister at the bottom of the stairs, she smirked and pretended to totally ignore Remy and the effort he'd made to look good.
"Why, thank you," Hank gave a gracious pretentious bow, and smirked, "but look at you – you're certainly going to have every young mans eyes on you tonight, I've never seen you look so enchanting," he smiled.
Rogue smirked, "thanks," she felt her cheeks flush slightly from all the attention, she hadn't expected anyone to tell her she looked enchanting at all.
"Remy, what have I told you about smoking in the Mansion?" Professor Xavier moved in his wheelchair, having appeared from the same archway Hank had. Professor Xavier looked smart and sensible as ever in a dark grey suit.
"Sorry," Remy sighed, he rolled his dark eyes and glanced around looking for someone to stub it out, finding nowhere, he opted for the vase of fresh flowers nearby, and dropped the cigarette into it, listening to it hiss as it hit the water at the bottom.
"And there will be no smoking in Paris Avec l'Amour either," Professor Xavier stated firmly. "It is a very exclusive restaurant."
Remy didn't comment, he held his tongue. They all glanced to the archway as the final resident of the Mansion – Logan – appeared from the doorway. Rogue had never seen Logan in a suit before, she couldn't believe how incredibly handsome he was after a shave, and combing his hair. His grey suit accentuated his broad shoulders, although did unfortunately did nothing for his height.
"Wow, Logan, you clean up real good," Rogue smirked.
"Shaddup," Logan made a face, "I hate dressin' up," He muttered, "this is so uncomfortable," he said, he flexed his shoulders a little and made a face. His shoulders seemed almost too broad for the suit.
"Oh stop complainin'," Rogue came down from the final step, "you don't know nothing about bein' uncomfortable," Rogue said, "My pantyhose are cuttin' my circulation off so bad my feet are probably turnin' blue, and my thong is so far up my—" Rogue hadn't realised what she was saying at first, Remy's eyes flitted up to her – and for that matter so did every one else's – a complete look of shock passed round. "I'm kidding," Rogue quickly commented, she felt her cheeks turn pink, and looked away.
"Hail the queen of yeast infections," Remy gestured towards Rogue, and gave a mock bow and wave.
Professor Xavier looked most unimpressed with the humour – or Rogue's comment about the Thong.
Rogue mentally kicked herself for saying that, she demanded of herself why she had. One of those things she'd never be able to understand.
"Shall we leave then?" Hank broke the strange uncomfortable silence.
"Yes, lets," Professor Xavier said hurriedly.
They headed outside, the biting cold wind caught Rogue unprepared, she shivered, and wished she'd brought a shawl warmer than the flimsy sheer one she had. Snow drifted down from the sky in large flakes, it touched her bare cheeks, and she quivered, the touch sweet but cold.
A black stretch limousine was waiting outside for them, Rogue was thoroughly impressed, "what's the occasion?" She asked, glancing to the professor.
"It's Christmas Eve, Rogue," Professor Xavier smiled, "and what better to take us all to the most exclusive restaurant in Bayville but a stretch limousine?" he queried.
Rogue smirked, "You're just full of surprises," she nudged his shoulder gently in a playful way.
After all piling into the Limo, they were on their way, Paris Avec l'Amour was quite a distance away from the Mansion, and the drive was long, and seemed even longer due to heavy traffic, and thick snow coming down from the sky.
Rogue avoided looking at Remy, even though she was sitting right next to him in the Limo. She could already smell the faint scent of the cologne he always wore, it caught her so off guard, and reminded her of times she'd been so close she could breathe it in fondly. She wished for times like that again, but reminded herself it wasn't going to happen.
Professor Xavier sat on the opposite side of the Limo, he pushed the button to close the partition between the driver and them, he then looked at them all sternly, "I know you're not stupid, but I do want to make clear the fact that we should not mention the word 'mutant' tonight, under ANY circumstances," he stated.
"Of course," Rogue gave a vague nod, her eyes focused on the snow falling outside.
"I know some of you are feeling melancholy lately, I do not need to be a telepath to know this – I see it on your faces," he glanced towards Rogue, then Remy, his statement focused on them in particular, "but I am sure after a wonderful meal, you'll all soon be feeling fine again," he added.
Rogue felt Remy's eyes glance to her, and she didn't dare turn to look back. She wished she were telepathic, like Professor Xavier, and right at that moment she could have read his mind, and wondered what he was thinking.
"Do you know how to dance?" Hank asked of Rogue.
Rogue turned towards him, "Dance in what way…"
"Ballroom dancing, silly," Hank teased, "fine music, a large dance floor, and a little wine and I may just need to teach you a two step," he joked.
Rogue smirked a little, "I'd probably step on your foot…" she shook her head, "I don't really dance…"
There was a strange silence, and Hank was about to speak, but before he had the chance, Remy spoke for the first time he had since getting into the limo. "Yes you do."
Rogue turned and looked at him, her mouth dropped, "Huh?" her voice quivered.
"Well, I can think of three occasions you danced with me…" he remarked. "Your sixteenth birthday," he said, "You danced with me to…what's that song by Usher? 'U got it bad'?" He queried, "And then the time I—"
Rogue looked at him warningly, she knew if he mentioned the other two times she'd danced with him – both when she'd been drinking and in an over 21's nightclub – she'd be in more serious trouble than she ever had been. Logan knew about those times, sure, but the Professor did not and she didn't like the chances of a grounding for stupid mistakes made several months earlier. "And then the other times in the rec room," she cut in quickly, the lie had come to her in a second, it had seemed like such a good idea.
"I don't remember that," Remy remarked, looking out of the other window.
Rogue felt her cheeks go scarlet, suddenly the desire to be with him and be held by him had been replaced by the desire to punch him square in the face. She swore at him in her thoughts, and wondered if he had the ability to read her mind.
"Is there something we should know about?" Professor Xavier asked, noting the anger in Rogue's face and the smugness in Remy's expression.
"Nothing at all," Rogue replied, "He's just being a jerk," Rogue remarked.
"Bitch," Remy muttered under his breath.
"Asshole," Rogue retorted, folding her arms stubbornly.
"That will be quite enough of that," Professor Xavier used a haughty tone. "Whatever your problem is with each other, I expect you to deal with it in a civilised way – without the use of cursing, without the use of raised voices, and without the use of fists," he glanced at Rogue, she realised he must have read her mind.
The Limo pulled to a stop on a busy street outside of a large building with an awning and a doorman outside. They were there.