In the Rain by Yui
Author's note: by popular demand, I'm posting another chapter! I have a lot of ideas about this story and hopefully I can write them all down before I forget what they are (or lose interest ._.;) ! I'm shooting for about 4 or 5 chapters. Woohoo! That's a lot! ^_^ Geminidragon, thanks for your idea. ^_- I'm gonna use it! Thanks to all those who read and reviewed and those who demanded another part to the story! ^_^
Disclaimer: Don't own X-men, Garbage, or the Matrix ^^;
~*~*~*~
Chapter 2
A Meeting of Friends
Rogue didn't know why but as she walked home, she found herself in a much happier mood. It was like she was walking an air with stars glowing in her eyes. She wasn't really angry anymore and she wasn't worried of what was too come once she was under the roof of the Institute either. In fact, she didn't even care anymore about that. Well it wasn't everyday she got picked up by a hot Cajun man in the park whose voice could make a saint sin. That was enough to send her into an upbeat frame of mind. Rogue sighed, a deep and unexpected blush burning her pale cheeks. She couldn't help to be exceptionally cheerful now that a guy had noticed her for once and he wasn't some perverted old man.
Ordinarily, Rogue was rammed into the shadowy background when Kitty and Jean entered the scene. Guys flocked to Jean because of her tall, slim figure or to Kitty because of her pretty face and sweet personality. Guys really didn't pay attention to her. The ones at school were either jerks to her because she was a mutant or intimidated because she was so dark and ambiguous. They didn't realize that she was a lonely girl too and that their cold distance made her feel so very ugly and unwanted. But not him. Not Gambit. He had flirted with her; he had made her feel pretty and feminine like the silly lovesick girls in all those silly movies she despised. Damn him! (Random A/N: Oh my God! You would not believe how many times I rewrote that paragraph for it to sound how I wanted it to!)
An uneasy feeling soon settled in the pit of her stomach, however, and it made her she chewed on her lower lip nervously. She wondered if Gambit really meant to be sweet to her because he liked her. It was no secret that he was on the opposing team. What if he just wanted to get closer to her, learn all her secrets about the x-men and herself, just because he was the enemy? Or what if he was just some smooth playboy who liked to manipulate young naïve girls like her? That made a cold shiver run down her spine.
No, I don't want it to be like that, she told herself as if praying to the Fates. Please, he's the first guy who was ever genuinely kind to me. I just won't think about that. I just want to have some happiness. Being cared for is too nice a feeling to destroy.
But, lord, what was she suppose to do now? Flirt back with him? Say sweet nonsense in his ear like he had done to her in the park? Bait her eyes and blush every time she thought of him? How could she lend him on like that when she was so confused herself? She really didn't have the experience in that sort of field. This was her first time a guy ever really made her feel special, if only for a little bit. What if he wanted to kiss her or hold her hand without gloves? That was way too dangerous. But she was thinking to far ahead. Gambit might not stick around for long. What if she never saw him again? That thought made her a little depressed. She hoped she saw him again. There was something about him that she just couldn't forget. Maybe it was the way was didn't seemed terrified to be with her. Or maybe it was his intense eyes or handsome face.
Sighing deeply, she reached into her pocket of her dampened coat and fished out the card he had given her as a small gift. It was the Queen of Hearts. The queen on top seemed elated as she held a red heart in her hand but her reflection looked somber and nonchalant as she a double-edged knife in hers.
"It really was romantic," she murmured, her fingers stroking the glossy card, "trite but romantic." She blushed, still feeling his large warm hands on her small ones as he had enveloped them when he had pushed the gift back to her. He had been so friendly, so sweet, and so unafraid of being close to her. She bit her lip and shook her head. "No, I will not be one of those girls who falls over every man that looks her way," she told herself in a hard voice, putting the card back in her pocket. "I won't! That's a stupid thing to do. But, God, he is making it difficult!"
Just then, she looked up and saw that she had arrived at the Institute and it was later in the evening then she had really thought it was. The clouds overheard were black and ominous as she looked up at them, the sunlight almost gone completely. Great, now they would really worry about her, she thought. Well, at least it had stopped raining. Then she noticed that Logan was leaning up against the front gate, his arms crossed over his chest while he frowned as though he was the very devil at the entrance of hell, ready to welcome her in. Rogue gulp at the unpleasant image and nervously chewed her bottom lip. He really did look royally peeved as he scowled at her.
"Um…" she stumbled to say something.
"Xavier wants to see you," Logan growled like a wolf low in his throat. He even sounded as angry as he looked.
Rogue looked down at her shoes sheepishly. "I kinda guessed that he would," she told him, looking up through her dark lashes to see Logan turn and head back inside the gates. "Hey! Wait a minute, would ya?" She raced to catch up with him. "What were ya doing hanging around outside anyway?"
"I wanted to see when you got home," he murmured roughly, not looking at her. "It's too late to be wondering the streets alone."
I wasn't alone most of the time, she thought, but she thought it wise to keep that information to herself. Logan had the irritating but endearing tendency to act like her dad sometimes and he would probably flip if he found out who she was with. But she was touched that he cared about her even after she had fought him off with Lance's powers.
"Hey, Logan?" Her voice was quiet and a little apprehensive.
"What is it?" his answer was gruff.
"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry…for what happened earlier," she told him, looking down at the ground. "You have always been nice to me. You just caught me at a bad time."
She heard him exhale a heavy sigh before he reached over and laid a large hand on the top of her head, rumpling her multihued tresses in a friendly manner. "It's fine, Stripes," Logan said kindly, his voice losing its ruggedness. "I'm glad you got home in one piece."
Rogue smiled, truly glad that he wasn't mad at her anymore. A mad Logan was a very scary one to deal with. "Thanks, Logan."
They walk the worn path up to the mansion's door in a comfortable silence. However, Rogue's stomach tied itself in a tight knot when she noticed that Jean was standing in the doorway, glaring at Rogue with bandages wrapped round her chest. Her good mood faltered for a moment but she reached into her pocket and held the card. It was like an icon of courage. It calmed her nerves so she was able to ignore the older girl who stood, fuming like an old hag.
"Is the professor in his office?" Rogue asked Logan, who nodded in reply.
It wasn't an overly long walk to the professor's office but the uneasy stir in the pit of her gut made it seem like an eternity. She had never been punished during her time at the school so, of course, she was a little nervous. Just breathe, she told herself calmly. You can handle it. The professor will understand. He won't do any extreme punishment like cut off a finger or anything like that.
When she came to the door of his office, she knocked hesitantly before going inside. The large door immediately opened as if by magic and she warily went inside, hands behind her back and head lowered. The door closed by itself after she passed the threshold and she jumped a little. She was surprised to see that the room seemed to be straight out of a Victorian novel with the rich fabrics and the stained wood. But now was no time to be amazed. She had to look genuinely sorry for the professor. But she wasn't sorry for having a fight with Jean just sorry for hurting Logan and the possibility that her 'earthquake' ruined the mansion even a little bit.
"Will you take a sit, Rogue?" the aged professor as from the large desk by an even larger window. He looked very serious but he didn't seem angry to her.
Without delay, she took the nearest seat and nervously played with her hands in her lap. She knew that the professor was a good and sympathetic man but her heart began to pound out of apprehension anyway. Well, this is it, she told herself with a deep breath.
"Rogue, I come to understand that there was a confrontation between you and Jean today," he started, calmly. She nodded silently. "We have trained you to fight and to prepare for battle if the occasion came but I do not approve of a personal battle out of spite here at the Institute."
"I'm sorry, Professor. It won't happen again," Rogue murmured. "Don't get me wrong though. I'm not saying I'm sorry for hurting Jean. She started it and my powers couldn't have hurt her too much. But I'm sorry for being rude to Logan and letting you down. I was just in a terrible mood."
"You seem but better now."
"I am," Rogue couldn't help but smile. "Thanks. I took a walk to cool down."
He nodded. "In the future, I hope you take your troubles elsewhere and settle on another way of solving them."
"So, you are saying that I could pick a fight with Jean anywhere but here?"
"Rogue," the professor reproved quietly.
"Sorry, Professor. I mean what you are saying. But, God, Jean can be so overbearing sometimes!" Rogue exclaimed, running her hands over her face in her frustration. "I can't stand her 'miss perfect' act. She gets all my nerves!"
"Maybe she is just trying to hide her insecurities behind that mask, Rogue," he replied, softly. "Maybe on the inside, she is just as scared and lonely as you are."
"I doubt it," Rogue murmured. Her life is perfect, she thought. She grades are great. She does everything right. She can handle her powers to a point where she doesn't hurt anyone. "Now, is there any sort of punishment for my fight?" Like claiming a finger of mine or a lock of hair for scary voodoo witchcraft?
"Rouge, I think you have seen one too many scary movies in your time," the aged man said with a smile and Rogue blushed sheepishly. "This is your punishment. The fight wasn't entirely your fault and Jean got the same speech from me," he said. "I just hope that you learn from your mistake and that responsibility for your actions."
Hah! Miss Perfect got punished too, Rogue gleefully laughed in her mind. No wonder she was so pissed off!
"Okay," she replied quietly, hiding her true feelings as best she could. "I'll do my best, professor. I'll just go to my room if we are done here."
"Wait, Rogue," he stopped her as she got up. "There is one more thing I want to talk about with you."
"Yay?" she asked, sitting back down.
The man sighed and closed his eyes briefly as if he had a lot on his mind and didn't know where to begin. "Rogue, I know that it is hard for you to connect with people sometimes but I want you to know that I'm very proud of your effort to do so. Gradually I see that you are opening up to us and that pleases me." A long pause.
"Rogue I also know that you saw one of the Acolytes today in the City Park," he continued. "I also know that it was a complete accident." Rogue paled slightly and stared in disbelief. "I can see that you are drawn to him so I won't tell you to stay away from him, Rogue. You are a headstrong young woman and probably won't listen to me if I did. I just want you to be very cautious and use your best judgement in this situation."
"Alright, Professor," Rogue agreed. "But Gambit…he didn't seem to pose any threat to me."
"I know. It's tricky to determine his intentions whether they are good or bad," the older man told her. "Gambit is known to be a very good thief, Rouge. I just want you to use your best judgement," he repeated again. "And do what you think is right."
"I understand," Rogue muttered as she stood up. "Thanks." She turned around and headed out of the office.
~*~*~*~
"Man, that movie was totally awesome!" Kitty exclaimed ecstatically as she and Kurt walked out into the gloomy daylight from the movie theater. "I could so, like, see it again and again!"
"Yay, the fight scenes were so cool but they lost me every time they opened their mouths!" Kurt put in, finishing off the rest of his M&M's. "I mean, how much philosophy junk can to pack into one script?"
"I know! But wouldn't it be great if we could fight like Neo or Morphus? If we could we'd totally beat Magneto ass!" Kurt laughed as the small girl tried to put off one of Neo's karate-like moves without any luck even with her grace. (Yes, they saw the Matrix Reloaded ^_^;)
"Yay, we can even start to dress like them, too! All black with sunglasses!"
"That would be perfect for Rogue and Scott!" Kitty replied, smiling.
"Can you picture the professor dressed like Neo with that long black coat?"
Kitty gave a pretty, enthusiastic giggle. "He would totally look like a priest!"
The two young mutants gradually made their way from the theater. They had transported to their destination earlier, easily landing in the alley behind the theater, but with their adrenaline at a high, Kitty and Kurt decided that a nice long walk back to the mansion would calm their excitable nerves. It was a fact that the brusque Logan had little patience for hyper kids running up and down the halls of the mansion.
"Man, that movie was great!" Kurt exclaimed with a large smile.
"Kurt!" Before he knew it, Kitty was dragging him down behind a car.
"What is it, Kitty?" He thought that maybe she had lost something.
"Look!" the girl told him in a high, excited voice. She was pointing across the street but Kurt couldn't make out what had caught her attention.
"What is it?" he repeated again, looking as hard as he could. "I don't see anything weird."
"Do you see that man with the trench coat walking down the street?" Kitty asked.
Kurt squinted and saw the mysterious guy Kitty was talking about. "Yay, so what?"
"Oh, I knew I had seen the guy in Rogue's picture before!" Kitty murmured excitably to herself, ducking behind the car further down the lane as if she was a spy. She was probably trying to keep the man in her view but all Kurt could do was smile nervously and shrug as people shot them curious glances.
"What are you talking about, Kitty?" he snapped.
"Kurt, you are so dense sometimes! That's the guy in the picture Rogue was drawing earlier! You know, Mr. Mysterious? We fought him once, remember? He had the ability to charge things and make them blow up! Kaboom!"
Kurt's forehead knotted in confusion, his eyes darted to the man again. "I think your brain was scrambled in the movie, Kitty," he told her earnestly.
"Oh, whatever, Kurt! I know I'm totally right! That's him! Oh, what was his name?" Kitty paused to think. "Gambit! That's it!" She stood up quickly and, cupping her hands around her mouth, she yelled as loud as she could, "Gambit!" Immediately, the young man across the street stopped walking and spun around as though he was about to be attacked. Before he noticed Kitty, Kurt hastily pulled the girl down behind the car.
"What are you doing?!" Kurt hissed, his eyes wide in alarm. "Are your crazy?!"
"I was seeing if that was really him, Kurt," she told him, her eyes just as big as his. "And it was!"
"Um, since he really was Gambit, who, is by the way, our enemy, why in the world did you think is was okay to call out to him!?" Kurt asked, annoyed. "He could have saw you and started a fight or something!"
"Oh, calm down! He didn't see me. Plus, we have a much bigger problem on our hands."
"What do you mean?"
"Rogue drew his picture, right?" Kitty pointed out. "She was thinking about him. Why? I think she probably has the totally hots for him!"
"For the enemy? Okay, she's not that nuts, Kitty."
"Whatever, Kurt! Haven't you realized yet that love conquers all?" Standing up a little to see the man again, Kitty saw that Gambit had disappeared into the night. She frowned, thinking how much she would have liked to get a closer look at him. If Rogue was correct in her artistic ability, the guy's looks was to die for.
"Where did he go, Kitty?" Kurt asked nervously, looking for any sign of the enemy.
"I don't know. He just vanished or something."
"Gambit doesn't not vanish," an amused voice said from behind the devious teenagers. "Gambit is just quick."
Kitty gasped and Kurt paled. They slowly turned around in unison too see the figure of a tall man loom over them. His hands were at his hips in a gesture of impatience but there was a smug smile on his lips. Damn, he is hot, Kitty's mind was fast to determine as her insides quickly turned into mush as she looked up at him. The guy was definitely cuter than Scott.
"You called for Gambit, non?" the young man asked, his voice holding a sexy French drawl, as he peered down at them with his red on black eyes.
Kurt and Kitty only stared up that their enemy, extremely stunned to say anything for a moment. Slowly, Gambit looked from one to the other, still smiling.
"Le chat a reçu votre langue, votre petite une?" he murmured softly in French. (Cat got your tongue, little ones? (^-.-^))
"Um, look, we don't want any trouble, okay?" Kurt told him, hesitantly climbing to his legs. "Kitty was just…uh…being stupid." He sent her a little glare.
"Hey!"
Gambit looked at the indignant young girl and flashed a heart-throbbing smile that made Kitty blush. "Gambit doesn't mind being called out to by a pretty fille (girl)," he told her, winking. "Even if she is an X-men."
Kitty gasped. So, he did remember them! That wasn't a good thing. "I didn't mean any trouble, like Kurt said. I just thought I knew you from somewhere." She stood up, blushing further as Gambit offered her his hand. "Turns out I did." She gave a nervous laugh as Kurt frowned at her again. "Well, we should probably go, right, Kurt? Don't want to miss dinner." Slowly, she inched her way away from the handsome French man, pulling Kurt in her wake.
"By the way, will you tell your amie (friend) Rogue that Gambit says 'Bonsoir'?" he asked, irresistible charm oozing out of every pore that made every bone in Kitty's body want to melt.
"How do you know Rogue?" Kurt asked, almost defensive.
"Gambit means no harm, monsieur," the French man quickly amended, lifting up his hands. "Rogue just met up with Gambit in the park earlier today."
Kurt growled. "If you hurt her…"
"Vous m'insultez! Seulement un lâche invertébré jamais élèverait une main à une femme," Gambit rebuked quickly in French, his red eyes intense with displeasure. (You insult me! Only a spineless coward would ever raise a hand to a woman.) Kitty knew enough French to understand his point and instantly moved to quiet Kurt before anything bad could happen.
"Kurt, I think you made him angry," Kitty whispered quietly to her friend. "And he didn't hurt Rogue."
"You sure?" He was still glaring at Gambit.
"As sure as I can be with my one year of French. Now let's go before you put your other foot in your mouth, alright?" Kitty started to pull Kurt away again. "I'll make sure Rogue gets your message, Gambit!" she said, looking back only to find empty air. "That's funny. Where did he go?"
(Random A/N: That was a cute scene, if you don't mine me saying so ^.^)
~*~*~*~
-You walked into the room
The sun hit my eyes
The force you struck me down caught me by surprise
You sprung the mojo and it worked like a charm
I felt invincible with you in my arms-
Rogue sighed again for the hundredth time as she laid on her bed, eye closed and listening to Garbage. (She was amazed that those lyrics felt so true to hear then.) This time it was at a softer volume because she didn't want anyone to interrupt her just then. She had a lot to think about and a lot to reflect on. She wanted to honestly think about what had happened between her and Gambit in the park but all she could concentrate on was that fact that he had actually flirted with her as if she were a normal human being. For some reason, she felt like laughing but stopped just in time when a mighty sneeze came. Great, she was getting a cold because of her little trip in the rain.
I won't be that kind of girl, she thought again as she curled up under a large blanket. Still it would be nice to see him again. Rogue frowned. Damn it! She was already turning into one of those girls who blushed, giggled, and stuttered whenever she thought about the one guy. At this rate, her roommates would know something as up and Rogue was out to keep her little crush a secret. She knew that her secret was safe with the professor because he would never tell anyone about Gambit.
Her frown deepened as she rolled to her side. Oh, why can't I just forget about him? He is the enemy after all. Maybe he just wanted to get close because we are on opposing sides, that same persistent thought nagged away at Rogue's mind. But that is an awfully cruel way to get information. Yet, the professor did say that Gambit was a great thief. Rogue wondered what a thief was doing, teaming up with Magneto. Something seemed out of place in that equation. He must be pretty damn good.
Rogue started to bit her painted nails. Since she was alone there was no use to where her leather gloves. Wearing a pair of old gray sweatpants and a black T-shirt, she shivered under the blanket and wrapped it tighter around her small form. Before too long, she had to get some medicine from Storm before her cold could get even worse.
Behind her, Rogue heard a faint 'poof'-ing sound and Kurt speaking up to say, "Knock, knock!" Turning over, she was agitated to see Kitty and Kurt standing in the middle of her room, looking a little scared.
"God, you guys!" Rogue yelled at them the best she could with her aching throat. "Don't you ever knock anymore?"
"What's wrong, Rogue?" Kitty asked, concern thick in her voice. "Your voice sounds raw or something."
"Yay, like you got a cold from walking in the rain," Kurt put in before Kitty stuffed her elbow in his stomach. "Ouch!"
Rogue looked at them as if they were crazy. "What are you guys talking about?"
"Nothing," Kurt hastily replied as Kitty put on her best innocent act.
"Alright, you guys, you've got 3 seconds to tell me what's going on before I do it my way!" Rogue held out her naked hand so they got the hint. Instead, they looked all the more nervous.
"Um…Kurt why don't you leave, alright?" Kitty asked him sweetly. "This is between girls, ya know."
"But…"
"Shoo, elf man!" the younger girl pushed him towards the door. "Before I shove you through the wall."
"Hey! Watch where you are going!" Saving himself from being harassed any further, Kurt teleported out of the room after childishly sticking his tongue out at Kitty.
Rogue started at Kitty and the girl turned around and gave a nervous giggle once Kurt had gone. "What's this 'between girls' bit, Kitty?"
"Oh you know," she replied quickly. "Where we girls talk about clothes, school, nail polish, boys. I'd thought I'd come here and, like, talk to you because I haven't seen you all day, ya know?"
"Right." Rogue pulled the blanket over her head and closed her eyes. "I don't want to play any games. I'm sick. So if you got something to say, say it all ready and leave me alone."
"Okay. Just give me a second. I have a lot I want to say but I don't know how to say it."
"Then say it the quickest way possible, cat girl," Rogue replied snappishly before sneezing once more.
"Rogue, as your closest girl friend, is there anything you want to, like, talk to me about?" Kitty asked after a moment quite seriously. Slowly, Rogue lowered the blanket and stared at her as she sat down on Rogue's bed. "Because if you do, I just want to let you know that I wouldn't judge you or anything. I'd support and look out for you because…well…because you're my friend too."
"It's something wrong, Kitty?" Rogue asked, sitting up.
"Well…. I saw a friend of yours today," she said, her fidgety hands twisting in her lap.
"Huh? Who?"
"You know. About 6 feet tall. Red hair. Talks kind of weird…." A totally hotty, Kitty added in her mind. Rogue looked confused. "Mr. Mysterious?"
Rogue gasped and her eyes widened. "Gambit? You saw him?!"
Kitty smiled hesitantly. "He says 'hi'."
"Where did ya see him?"
"By the theater. Kurt and I were walking home. I saw him and I remembered that you had drawled him earlier. So I called out to him," Kitty told her.
"You called out to him?! Girl, are you nuts?! He's the enemy! You could have started a fight!"
Kitty blushed in embarrassment. "That was what Kurt said. But Gambit didn't fight us even when he remembered that we were X-men."
"Oh, God! I hope Logan doesn't hear about this!"
"Well, what about you?!" Kitty asked, frowning. "Gambit said he ran into you at the park today!"
"That's different!" Rogue quickly replied, blushing in spite of herself.
"How?" Kitty demanded.
She shrugged helplessly. "I don't know! Leave me alone, will ya?"
"Not a chance!" Kitty said. "It's not everyday that Rogue gets a boyfriend! Who is, by the way, like, hotter in any guy in Bayville but our enemy, nonetheless!"
"He ain't my boyfriend!" Rogue shouted. "I just saw him today. We just talked! Nothing happened!"
"He didn't seem so bad when we ran into him," Kitty said thoughtfully. "But do you think you'll see him again?"
"I dunno. Maybe." Rogue looked at the worried younger girl. "Why?"
Kitty shrugged. "I just don't want to see you hurt. That's all. He is on Magneto's team."
"I know he is," Rogue sighed. "Thanks for looking out for me, Kitty, but I can fight my own battle."
"Will you be careful?"
"As careful as I can be."
"Good. I don't want to see you hurt and have to kick his butt."
"What are you implying? That I'd see him again?"
Kitty shrugged. "Gambit seemed really nice and polite. Maybe he likes you."
"I doubt that," Rogue told her. "He probably just wants some info and is out to seduce the most gullible girl he can to get it from."
"Yay right! That would totally be me! He was so hot that I turned into a babbling idiot for a moment or two."
"What else is new?" Rogue said as she smirked.
"Hey!"
Rogue laughed and laid a hand on Kitty's covered shoulder, squeezing gently. "You know I'm just playing with you!" Kitty shout her a fake pout, pretending to be at the verged of tears. "Oh, whatever, you drama queen!" Rogue laughed, shoving Kitty off her bed.
"Oh, come on, Rogue! Dinner is probably almost ready!"
"I'll be down in a second, alright. I ain't going down in this!" Rogue stood up and pointed to her casual top and bottom. "I look horrible!"
Kitty just rolled her eyes and said, "You don't have to look nice for him. Gambit's not going to be here tonight!"
"Shut up, Kitty!" Rogue snapped and proceeded to chase her out off their room and down the hall to the dinning room.
To be continued…..
Author's Note: **stops laughing** Boy, this chapter was fun to write! XD Do you get the point that Kitty was happy for Rogue but at the same time sort of nervous for her? I was writing the dialogue one way then changed course so something later in the story would happen. I hoped it work. I'm still not sure about Rogue's character. **frowns** Maybe her cold is getting to her head and making her nicer? **cries** So sorry if she is OOC! Well I hope you liked this part! ^_^ I'll write chapter three pronto! Thanks again for all those who read and reviewed! Much love! ^.^