Author's note: That has been one of my best stories and I'm so happy and delighted that so many of you read and liked what you read. ^__^ I want to thank all you because without your comments I wouldn't have finished this story! I love you guys! **mucho hugs are exchanged**
BTW, this chapter is complete and utter fluff. There's no point but to entertain you peeps with humor and Romy since I know your nerves need it after 'In the Rain'. But it also serves as a starting ground for a planed SEQUAL! Sequel, I say? Yup! Road trip, anyone?
Disclaimer: I don't own the x-men. They belong to Marvel. ^_^ I don't own Mr. Bean. He belongs to the BBC. God bless creative jenius ^_^
~*~*~*~
Epilogue
A meeting of Beginnings (a.k.a. Mayhem at the Mansion!)
The end of February for told of an early spring. But while the sun was still sleeping and the dark of night was still out, the premature mornings were still chilly. Three young men were standing in the front lawn of the shadowy Xavier Institute at the break of a rosy dawn, sourly looking at the somnolent mansion and resentfully thinking mornings should be spent in the sanctuary of a toasty bed. But no instead of sleeping like every other normal person would have been they were reluctantly awake, shivering under their insubstantial uniforms, and rigorously furious.
"This is bullshit!" John complained ardently for the umpteenth time as he shuddered from the bone-chilling bite in the frosty air. "Can someone tell me why I joined the x-men again because I can't think of one goddamn reason at the moment."
John was so tired of being cold and, well, tired. He had to get up so early that morning that he didn't even have time to tame his wild fiery locks. His hair, a mass of spiky toxic-orange hair, was sticking up everywhere. But it was too early to give a damn about appearances. And smirking, John thought that neither did Remy. The sleepy Cajun was either oblivious or apathetic to the fetching little love-bite that donned the side of his neck. If he cared, he should have taken the means to covering it up to avoid the inevitable questions that could arise. But he didn't so John didn't say anything.
"Sorry, mon ami," Remy replied the best he could through chattering teeth. "Too cold to think to give you a proper answer." Since his trench coat was not part of the standard trainee uniform he had to go without the familiar sensation of the warm, worn leather covering his body. Not only was he cold but also feeling very exposed.
"It is not that bad," Piotr calmly stated. The two other boys turned and glared daggers at him. Even though Piotr he had grown up in freezing weather so he was use to the icy breeze and the solid ground covered in a thin sheet of ice underneath his feet, he had sneaked small heating packets into his uniform to keep him warm so he was quite toasty. The other two former acolytes didn't know that though and Piotr didn't felt like giving up his little secret.
"Shudup, metal man!" John hissed. "Unlike you I didn't live in ice. Us Aussies are fragile, hot-blooded creatures. I didn't even know what the fuck snow was until I got up here!"
"John, why don't you just make a fire to warm yourself?" Piotr asked, not the one share or give any secrets.
John frowned and replied, "Because I don't make fire and even if I did my fingers are too damn cold to start one!"
The stalwart Russian was unsympathetic to his friend's plight. "Baby."
"Loser."
Remy sighed, too tired to join the batter and too numb to put a stop to it. But he was bitter enough to complain. He did, after all, have to wake up at five with his girlfriend sleeping like an angel right next to him without any time to fool around before he had to run off to train. That made his foul mood all the prominent.
"Were the fuck is Logan?" he seethed, rubbing his hands together to regain some feeling. "He expects us to get up to wait outside for his ass? I don't think so. If he doesn't show up soon I'm ditching the damn training and going back to sleep."
"Me too. We do we need to train with a guy like him anyway?" John continued. "Xavier bloody knows how good we are. We're training in the fucking Danger Room. If Logan shows up, I'm gonna kill him. I'm gonna take the fucking ice under my feet and shove it up his nose."
"He's dead meat," Remy simply concurred. He would have been glad to give a detailed description on where and exactly how but it was too cold to form words. All he knew what that Logan's death was going to be very painful and very bloody. That lifted his low spirits some. Mwhahaha, indeed.
"He's not that bad."
Again the two other boys turned and glared incredulously. Piotr sighed and shook his head.
"He's a raving lunatic! Fucking nuts in the bloody head, you half-witted bloke!" John exclaimed.
"Kitty says he just a big teddy bear," Remy commented with an obvious shudder. "The boogie man is a fucking teddy bear compared to Logan."
Piotr ignored his friends' banter and rolled his eyes. "Logan is not crazy," he told them in his exasperatingly judicious voice. "He's just…er…passionate about his occupation."
John scoffed loudly. "Yeah! Bloody passionate about tormenting us!"
"But I admit that I do not like the fact of getting up so early," the Russian told them as if it was a grave sin. There was a slight grimace marring his stoic face. "I would have preferred to sleep in on a Saturday morning."
Remy would have cracked a smile but that would have hurt in frozen lips. "Piotr is human after all," he teased, patting the Russian's massive shoulder.
John whimpered, concealing his face behind his hands. "I need coffee."
"I need a cigarette."
A pair of heated cinnamon eyes snapped towards Remy, gaping at him with the utmost surprise. "You smoke, mate?!"
"Only when I have to get up really early." Remy sighed, wishing with all his might that this all was a twisted dream, that he was in his nice, warm bed with his arms still wrapped around Rogue. But when the icy wind began to howl in his ear, he shuddering, knowing that this was reality. "This morning's gonna suck."
"Morning? Fuck that. It's still night. The sun ain't even out," John pouted.
"Actually…"
John was at his breaking point and was in no mood for a smart-ass Russian. "Shudup, Piotr!"
Snickering to himself, Piotr stopped talking and continued to sleep with his eyes open. Remy glowered, feeling his legs lose feeling. He shook them, kicking the frail layer of ice under his shoes, and waited for Logan to show up. John it seemed was too tired to say anything else and just stood there, his lips wordless forming angry rants as he seethed. Remy could see him say 'I hate this. I hate this. I hate this…' over and over Silence returned as the group waited for the hell to begin. Logan's infamous training sessions were known to be grueling and pure evil.
"Man, I can't take it anymore!" John suddenly exclaimed after several long minutes. "I'm leaving this shit. To hell with Logan and to hell with training!" Infuriated, he started to march away.
"Just where do you think you're going, Orange?" a low grunt asked from behind the trio of boys. Without looking, Remy knew that it was Logan and he had to stop his thief reflexes from making him take out a card and throw it over his shoulder. He really didn't like it when people sneaked up behind him.
John turned around and glared at Logan. "Glad your finally came to grace us with your ominous presence, Wolvie, but your five seconds too late. My brain all ready fucking check out." He made to leave but a growl from Logan made his stop.
"Get back here, Orange."
Seething with anger at his almost breached freedom, John walked back to the group, shooting Logan a withering look that could have had Scott in tears. Piotr and Remy too turned around and regarded their stormy instructor. Logan was dressed in his dark blue uniform with the x-men regalia on it and appeared as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as he would ever be.
Weirdo probably got his kicks by putting his students through hell, Remy mused with a shudder.
Too sleepy and mad to be civil, none of the boys greeted Logan but started to complain immediately.
"This is fucking pointless! Why are we even training with you? Xavier knows how good we are!" John argued adamantly.
Logan's right eyebrow quivered. Unlike the rest of the adults he was cool enough to let the kids use questionable language in his presence. However, that was the only good quality about the surly 5"7' mutant. "Good enough to take Magneto on by yourself?" he questioned.
John glowered. "You wouldn't be surprised."
Logan shrugged. "Whatever, Orange. Now, kiddies," he said, "you are going to a drill on the grounds with all the test dummies on full."
Remy rolled his eyes, muttering "Easy." If he was quick enough he could disengage most of the equipment while Piotr blocked him.
Logan's hard brown eyes snapped towards the presumptuous Cajun. "And you will be by yourselves," he announced, knowing full well that Remy's brain had already devised a plan.
Shock ran like a wave throughout the group. (a/n: do to you get it? Shockwave? No?…Okay I thought it was funny. Onward with the fic!)
"The hell?!"
"You must be kidding."
"Que?"
Logan's face remained impassive but Remy could see him grinning on the inside, loving to be the bearer of badness. Sick, bastard, he thought.
"Xavier knows that you three are unbeatable as a team," he told them. "You knows each others strengths and weaknesses. But he wants to see how you perform solo."
Remy raised a hand. Logan turned and, unlike a good teacher who would ask 'what is it', glared at him as if daring Remy to be the cocky smart-ass and say the cocky smart-ass remark his brain already formed.
"What do you want, Gumbo?"
"What does training solo have to do with being outside in the cold?" he asked.
"Believe it or not, a confrontation can break out any time and any where, kid," he replied.
"Why don't we train one at a time in the Danger Room? You can change the settings."
Logan scowled at him and Remy quickly shut up. Right, he thought. Where was the fun in that?
John was next to raise his hand. "Oh, call on me, call on me!!!!"
Logan glared at him too. "What?"
Pretending to be a shy first-grader, John fidgeted as he asked, "So...um…like…how long will...this training take, teacher?"
Logan was far from amused. "Until you get to the finish line."
"How long will that be?"
"If you don't get manned, die, pass out from exhaustion or, in your case, Orange, if your hair doesn't get snagged in the trees," Logan shrugged and it was John's turn to glare, "maybe around noon."
"NOON?!"
He nodded. "Yup."
"What about food?" Piotr asked.
"What about my COFFEE?!"
"There some berries in there if you get hungry. You guys know which ones are poisonous?"
The boys shook their heads.
Logan sighed. "Too bad. Then I suggest that you get started." He pointed to the dark woods. "There's a path along with clues on what you will be fighting at each marked location. Try and follow it. Don't even try to team up. This is complete solo work." Seeing their bewildered expressions, Logan nodded his head and walked away.
"Wait one damn minute! Are you leaving us?"
"You wish, Orange," he remarked. "I'll be waiting at the finish line. Just try to cheat. I dare you."
"Finish line? Where's that?"
"Read the clues on the signs, Gumbo."
"We could get lost in there!" John cried, nearly frantic.
Logan shrugged. "If you don't show up in a week, I'll send a search party to look for you, kid."
When he was gone, the trio stood there, staring at the dark, misty woods with the greatest dismay and suspicious.
"It's dark," John whispered, his eyes big as saucers. "I don't wanna go in there."
"Mon dieu, it gives me the creeps."
"I was wrong. Logan's psycho."
"He's gonna pay," John promised, an evil gleam to his bright eyes as he stretched his fingers that ached to reach back and start the heavy-duty flame throwers on his back.
"I agree," Remy replied, absentmindedly charging the air around his hand.
With a firm nod, Piotr's hands turned metal and his popped his knuckles menacingly. But nothing happened. For five minutes, they boys continued to stand there, looking at the drab thicket, seething with anger and dread.
"Why do I feel like I'll never see you guys again?" John cried, pretending to cry.
Remy shrugged the psychotic pyromaniac off his arm as John vaulted himself onto Remy, hugging him breathless. "Get off of me, Orange." He laughed, using Logan's nickname.
"You totally ruined our Kodak moment, you bastard!" John complained. "Hey, why does Logan have nicknames for everyone here?"
Remy shrugged. "He doesn't have one for Piotr."
John frowned and looked around, not seeing the giant Russian anywhere in sight. Squinting, he barely saw Piotr through the heavy mist as he strolled into the forest. John gave an indignant gasp. Remy saw Piotr too but smirked, highly amused.
"He's not wasting anytime."
"Fucking traitor," John hissed. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he yelled, "Where the hell do you think your going, Commie?!"
Piotr just kept walking but called over his shoulder, "You're wasting time, John." With that, the darkness of the trees swallowed him up.
John gulped. "I ain't going there."
Remy sighed and started down the path. "Suit yourself."
"You're leaving me?!" John squeaked, lunging himself at the other former Acolyte once more.
Remy stared at him deadpan. "Oui."
John frowned and let him go looking greatly offended. "Fine. Just go."
"Whatever," he laughed, continuing towards the inauspicious shadows of the grove. "See ya at the finish line, mon ami. Good luck."
~*~*~*~
Rogue sighed in her sleep, stretching lazily, as she woke up. Rubbing the sleep from her heavy eyes, she sat up in the bed and looked around. Unfortunately she discovered that she was alone in Remy's room. Pouting, she collapsed back on the pliant mattress, burying her nose in his pillow and shutting her eyes against the glare of the morning sun. Even though his side was cold, the pillow still smelled on his warm scent and that satisfied her.
After a moment, she opened her eyes and looked at the alarm clock. It read 10:47 in the morning. She knew that Remy had a drill early that day but she was surprised that it was still going. Knowing Logan, he probably would have liked to keep the Acolytes busy until nightfall if he had his way. Feeling nothing but pity for her luckless boyfriend, she slid out of his bed, adjusting her borrowed nightshirt, and ambled towards the large bay window.
As she walked to tried not to trip on the piles of books littering the floor. Since she was taking lessons to control her power, their relationship had progressed rather nicely after Remy had recovered from his assault. The two of them had been up late last night trying to get Remy caught up with all his homework since he missed almost a month from school. When they finally called it quits, it was around two in the morning so they both passed out on his bed and fell asleep since Remy didn't share a room with anyone.
Whose smart idea was that, she wondered.
The three former Acolytes had been at the Institute for a little more than a month and were getting along nicely with the other students and training as well. Piotr had made connections with Ororo and Hank and generally spent time alone in Ororo's sweltering greenhouse, quietly tending to the green plants when older instructor was busy with something else. John occasionally flipped about the 'no bad language' rule and spent most nights making up for his unruly conduct by cleaning the bathrooms while still honing a crush on Kitty. Remy often got into fights over the coveted role of leadership with Scott when they all trained in the Danger Room together. The younger male mutants thought Remy was so much cooler than Scott and forked over their loyalty over to him almost immediately. The younger girls were completely smitten by Remy's good looks and easy drawl. They would follow him in just about anything. Obviously Scott wasn't very happy about that.
At the window, Rogue parted the curtains and winced from the brightness of the day. Since she knew the drill would be outside, she looked down on the lawn to see if she could see her boyfriend or Piotr or John. Instead she saw the forest in the back of the mansion looking none to well. Some parts were smoky with a smoldering fire, some trees had been pulled out of the ground and tossed aside like toothpicks, while some looked like the had had a stick of dynamic blow them up.
Rogue laughed to herself at the destruction, recalling their outrage at the early conditioning and they were no doubt causing as much trouble for Logan as they possibly could. She didn't feel bad for Logan. He made the mistake of forcing the boys to do something they didn't. Remembering the story of Sabertooth and his adventures with the Acolytes' antics, she smiled and went to find her clothes.
~*~*~*~
"I fucking hate this!" Sweaty and aching in parts that he hadn't even known existed, John carelessly let his ferocious fire creations run wild throughout the trees as he limped through forest. He was too exhausted the made sense of any of the clue anymore and too worn out to care that he was quickly losing himself in the endless stretched of untamed woodland. He judged whether or not to sit down and just die. But he wanted to get to the finish line so he could get his hands on Logan.
"Fucking bastard," John wheezed, idly blasting away at a poor tree to ease his restlessness. "He's so dead."
~*~*~*~
Piotr was lost. Through he had pounded his way through numerous machines that shoot lasers at him and reread all the senseless clues, it felt like he was walking in one large never-ending circle. Overhead, the sun was up and warmly glaring down at him, making him uncomfortably hot in his metal body.
"This is pointless," Piotr muttered to himself, knocking over a tree as he walked along the path. "Not even Einstein himself could figure out a way to get about of this place."
~*~*~*~
Siting on a top branch, high above the ground, Remy sighed again and charged another leaf and let it fly. It exploded in the air but the violent eruption didn't even help ease his boredom. He pouted, chin cupped in his hands as his arms were braced on his knees. His long legs swung in the air idly.
He had fought the machines, lived to read the clues, analyzing them like a good thief. He followed the best he could but eventually ended up where he first started. That's when he looked at the clues again and found the ended message within the hints.
Clue #1: keep your eyes on the path
Clue #2: It's important to know where you're going
Clue #3: Training is the only way to get better
Clue #4: Cheating will get you nowhere
Clue #5: Heed the clues
Clue #6: Else face defeat
Clue #7: Now your back at the beginning. Try again.
Luckily he had written them all down. Looking over the clues he took the first letters on the sentences and had found where the finish line was. The kitchen. Now if only he could find he way out of the labyrinth he'd find Logan sitting in the warm, bright kitchen in the institute and kick his ass. Remy was just passing time until he recuperated enough to get back to finding his way out of the forest.
He looked down when he heard heavy footfalls down on the ground. Before long an exhausted, tattered John appeared through the underbrush and walked passed Remy's tree. Smirking, Remy quickly charged a twig and threw it down on his unsuspecting friend.
BOOM!
John cried out in surprise, jumped backwards as the shoot erupted close to his head. He looked up, glaring as he saw Remy in the branches.
"Goddamn it!" he shouted. "Don't fucking do that, Remy!"
Remy laughed and jumped down to land next to John. "Sorry. I take it you're lost too, mon ami?"
He glared. "Hell yes."
Remy patted his shoulder, offering condolences. Just then Piotr came into the small clearing looking just as beat.
"Hello. I heard a boom and knew that you were close by, Remy," he said. "It's good to see that we are all still alive."
"Barely," John muttered, flopping down on the ground. "I'm an inch close from dying. I'm starving, thirsty, and so fucking tired. Does anyone else feel that this is just some bullshit?"
"I do," Piotr sighed, leaning against a tree to give is feet some relief. "Any of you figure out the clues?"
John rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Too early to read."
"That's helpful," the Russian teased.
Remy held up the piece of paper that he'd written all the ambiguous hints on. "I did. The fucking finish line is in the kitchen. To bad we have no clue were we are at the moment."
Piotr and John stared at him, dumb with amazement.
"I'm a thief, guys. Remember?"
The shock passed quickly. "Right, mate," John muttered. "Forgot your use to this kinda bullshit. Solving things and everything."
Piotr stood up. "Do you wish to team up?" he asked.
"And break the rules of the game?!" John forged genuine outrage. "Never!"
Remy rolled his eyes and grabbed him by his neck, pulling him to his feet. "Come on, guys. The quicker we pull together and find the institute, the sooner we get to make Logan pay for this shit. Piotr, do you have anyway of know where the Institute be?"
The Russian shrugged and looked up at the sky. The clearing was wide enough to see the position on the sun. "I think so. Follow me."
~*~*~*~
More awake after her shower, Rogue sauntered down to the kitchen for some breakfast. Since it was Saturday and the students usually got up at their own leisure, the early meal was a serve-yourself kind of deal at the Institute. She didn't expect to see Logan down there so she was really surprised to see him at the kitchen table reading the newspaper with a mug of teeming coca before him. Wasn't he supposed to be supervising the drill that morning?
"Mornin'" he grunted, seeing Rogue in the doorway over the top of his paper.
"Er…" as Rogue's intelligent greeting. "Didn't you have a drill today?"
"Yup."
"Is it over?"
"No."
"No?" she echoed as she took a set at the table, reaching for a bagel from the platter of donuts and other tasty morning delights that Ororo had no doubt set out for the cooking-impaired students. "What are you doing in here then?"
"Waiting for the twerps to show up," he grunted, focusing on his paper again.
"How do you know they're not hurt? They've been out these since 6:00."
Logan shrugged, not really caring. "Haven't smell blood yet, Stripes."
Rogue sighed and idly gnawed on her blueberry bagel. Her stomach was twisted up with nervous knots that she doubted she could finish the thing. She didn't like the thought of her boyfriend dead or dying out in the forest. Sighing, she turned her eyes to the window and smiled, her nerves instantly dwindling. The three former acolytes were quickly making their was towards the institute, looking far from happy.
She turned back to Logan. "I think you will pretty soon." She stood up and waited by the counter where she knew it would be safe.
He looked at her, his eyebrow arching up at her grin. It was then that the back door of the kitchen flew open and three very angry mutants stepped inside. Logan smirked and turned around.
"Glad you could finally join me," he said.
Remy glowered. "This was never a drill."
Logan shook his head. "Call it payback for hijacking the X-Jet to buy some donuts the night before."
"You found out?!" John squeaked as Remy and Piotr just smirked, recalling that memory with the utmost fondness.
Logan glared at them. "You bet, bub."
The happy memory gone, the trio glared at Logan too. Quick as lightening, a card dropped to Remy's ready palm from his sleeve. He charged it and tossed it across the room where it landed conveniently in Logan's cup of coca. Logan didn't have time to react when the mug exploded, raining hot liquid down upon him.
"Time for our payback now, mon ami," Remy said from the door, a devilish smirk on his face.
Dripping the sweet liquid, Logan growled ominously at all three of them, deadly claws shooting up from the backs on his hands. Piotr changed himself to metal and quickly got a hold on the instructor even though Logan struggled vehemently to free himself, snarling and snapping like a caged animal. Then Piotr headed outside. John cackled as he followed.
When they we gone, Rogue smiled at Remy who was still standing in the doorway. Even though he looked like he could use a good shower, it was safe to say that she felt like drooling. The close-fitting uniform and the morning stubble fringing his jaw did wonders.
"Hello, petite," he said, grinning.
Rogue moved away from the counter and walked over to him. "What are you going to do with him?" she asked, looking through the door to see John and Piotr enter the forest with the struggling Logan.
"Nothing too harmful," he replied. "Bastard put us through hell. Deserves something in return."
"Poor baby," she cooed, patting his cheek comfortingly. Remy leaned into her hand, kissing the naked palm.
"Indeed, chere. Remy will need a lot of babying after this," he muttered darkly. Then he moved closer to her and kissed her quickly. "Gotta go. Can't let John and Piotr have all the fun."
~*~*~*~
Rogue was up in her room when there was a polite knock on her door around noon.
"It's open!" she called out form her bed. She had been doodling, enjoying the silence since Kitty was gone. The door opened and Remy poked his head in and smiled at her. She smiled back and quickly put her sketches away.
"I was wandering when you'd come back," she told him. "What did you do with Logan?"
He shrugged, walking into the room. Rogue could see that he had just finished a shower. He was no longer wearing the trainee uniform but a pair of jeans and sweatshirt to ward of the lingering chill in the air. "It's a secret."
"Should I be worried?"
"It's all good fun," he replied, smirking.
She sighed and held up his beloved trench coat. "C'mere," she purred, smiling. "I need to baby you."
He smiled, hurrying over to tumble onto the bed and into his trench coat and Rogue's arms. "Oh, you're so good to Remy, chere," he sighed, snuggling against his girlfriend as they both laid on the mattress.
She laughed, holding Remy close and stroking his hair. "I know," she sighed. "You better not forgot that, Swamp rat."
"Never," he promised, nuzzling her neck with his warm lips. She sighed again in pleasure, wrapping her arms tightly around his broad back.
Rogue would have loved to continue that but a loud crash followed by an insane cackle from outside in the hallway had them both staring at the door. That was when Kitty phased in, looking a little panicky. When she saw them on the bed together, she gasped, her blue eyes growing unbelievably wide.
"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed, blushing as she covered her eyes with her hands. "I totally do want or, like, mean to see this!"
Rogue glared at her roommate as both she and Remy sat up, the mood obviously destroyed without the hopes of restoration. "That's why you should knock before you enter a room, Kitty," Rogue enlightened the younger girl.
"It was a total accident," Kitty admitted. "If I hadn't, Bobby would have…"
Another creepy laugh was heard as well as many whoops of glee. Remy cocked a brow. "What's John up too, Kitty?"
Kitty frowned, anger flaring up in her eyes. "He, like, got Bobby to form an ice slide down the hallway to the steps and out the front door," she said. "Now John, Evan, Bobby, and Kurt are playing on it. Bobby almost, like, knocked me down in the hallway. That's why I, like, phased in here. It total mayhem out there!"
"Where are the adults?" Remy asked.
"Well obviously Logan's MIA," Rogue told him, poking him in the ribs. "Hank is cooped up in the lab, Ororo's in her greenhouse. The professor probably won't know what's going on until Jean and Scott spill." She stood up. "Come on. I wanna see this!"
They walked to the door and opened it just as John was riding the ice on his snowboard, cackling insanely. Evan was right behind him on his skateboard. Kurt was last, sliding down the ice on his stomach. He waved to the trio at the door before sliding further down the hallway, laughing with delight.
"They're gonna hurt something," Remy sighed.
"Yeah. Try, like, the mansion!"
It was then that they saw Sam, Ray, Jamie, and Amara slide pass them as well at neck breaking speeds. Rogue frowned and slapped her hand to her forehead. "Is stupidity contagious or something?" she mused a loud.
"They are gonna, like, get into so much trouble!" Kitty exclaimed.
"Why don't you just hang out in the Rec room and forget this is happening?" Rogue suggested, eager to get back to her alone time with Remy.
"No way!" Kitty said. "I could, like, trip and I would never ever, like, slide down that thing. I might, like, totally ruin my clothes!"
"Pity," Rogue said. Since she was still a little irritated with the girt, she didn't fell remorseful at all when she pushed Kitty onto the ice. "Because you're going down anyway! Bye!"
"ROGUE!" Kitty's screamed was a mix of shock and anger as she slipped down the icy runway on her bum all the way outside. Snickering and feeling quiet evil, Rogue pulled Remy inside the room and slammed the door shut.
~*~*~*~
By two o'clock not only was the woods in the back of the mansion is sad condition but also the front yard. Scott had found out about the notorious ice slide and, in the end, had made the dire mistake of insulting the hotheaded John. All hell broke loose after that. Ororo had put a stop to the mini-war by forming a rain cloud over the yard and soaking at the students to the bone. She asked what had started this but the mutants just shrugged, saying that they where just having some fun. Scott had conveniently disappeared from the battlefront and by John's snide laughter, only he knew to where. The students headed back inside under Ororo's stern watch to dry off.
By three Jean was also reported missing and Ororo gave up. Retreating to her to the quiet solace of her greenhouse, she sought some much-needed peace. Let Xavier handle those kids, she thought to herself.
By four there was still no show from Xavier so the kids ran wild. Remy and Rogue finally emerged from her room to find the mansion is complete mayhem. But, being young themselves, the couple didn't feel like putting a stop to any of it. Instead they walked to the kitchen and found a sulking Piotr at the kitchen table. Before him was a sheet of charred cookies.
"What happened, mon ami?" Remy asked him.
Piotr just sniffed, his lower lip jutting out to form a tearful pout. "John burnt my cookies," he confessed, his voice trembling.
"Er…I'm sorry to hear that."
Piotr sighed and buried his face in the tablecloth, bawling his eyes out.
Without a word, Remy steered Rogue out of the kitchen.
"What's wrong with him?" Rogue asked once the kitchen door was shut, muffling Piotr's heavy sobs.
"Piotr takes pride in his cooking," Remy told her.
"Riiiight."
"Come on. Let's go and let Piotr have his little cry," he suggested. "He'll get over it."
By Five, neither Logan, nor Scott, nor Jean had turned up and the mayhem endured. By seven, the mighty Xavier realized that his house was on the verge of collapse and finally made a move to stop the students. By eight, Piotr was fine enough to join Kitty, Amara, and Jamie in one of the many Rec rooms to watch Mr. Bean. Since Mr. Bean and Piotr hardly even said a word, Piotr finally believed that he found a kindred spirit and was awed. By the time nine o'clock rolled around, the activities of the day took their toll on the students and many went to bed early while Remy got the remaining students to play a 'friendly' game of poker. Piotr still sat in the Rec room, eyes wide with amazement. By midnight, Rogue was sorely missing her boyfriend and decided to get him back the only way she knew how.
~*~*~*~
"Fancy meeting you here, chere," a sultry purr murmured from the open doorway of the bathroom.
Rogue smiled inwardly, her innards turning into sizzling goo, as she looked up and saw Remy standing in the door, hands braced against the sides. He was only wearing a pair of sleeping pants so she got a great view of his toned upper body. He grinned his roguish grin at her, making her blush and think that he should be on the cover of some steamy romance novel.
A slender eyebrow arching, she quickly finished brushing her teeth. He had showed up just as she thought it would. But since she was acting like she was getting ready for bed, she was dressed in her pajamas. But now that her Cajun boyfriend showed up with a mischievous shimmer in his demonic eyes, she decided to continue her game.
"Don't act so surprised, Remy," she told him, replacing her toothbrush behind the mirror. "This is a public bathroom and all."
Remy smirked and sauntered on in, hips swinging a bit. Rogue blushed, thinking that his body was absolutely gorgeous in the soft light and seeing him shirtless was enough to make her breathless. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she let him pull her close. She had ditched her gloves and confining clothes again and she was so glad that she did. She settled her naked hands on Remy's chest, loving to feel his warmth and steely muscles as well as his pounding heart underneath her fingertips. She shivered when she felt him brush his fingers across her pale shoulders, his thumb under her chin forcing her head up with nonexistent coercion.
"Has Remy ever told you how beautiful you skin is, chere?"
Rogue smiled. "At least once a day."
He shared her smile as he leaned down and gently placed a kiss on her neck, his goatee tickling her sensitive flesh. She closed her eyes and titled her head back, revealing more skin for Remy's wondering lips.
"Never thought I'd be making out in a bathroom," she laughed gently, her voice a little husky. "Your room, my room, definitely. The linen closet, the laundry room on occasion but never a bathroom."
"Well that's what you get from prancing by the Rec room with hardly anything on, chere," he replied. A brazen finger slithered under the thin strap of her barely there tank top. "What exactly do you call this?"
Rogue smirked wantonly. Her plan was to lure him away from his obsession by wearing little to nothing. Since her skin was so longer a danger to anyone, she didn't need to be careful. And it had worked marvelously.
"It's shirt, Remy."
A hand brushed against her milk-white thigh until it reached her short boxers that hardly covered her bottom.
"This dis?"
She shrugged. "Shorts."
Remy scoffed. "If I catch Sam so much as looking your way again…" he threatened.
Rogue laughed, delighted at his show of possessiveness, and patted his chest to calm him down. "Do I sense some jealousy?"
"Hell yes."
"I'm just reveling in the fact that I don't have to worry about my exposed skin coming into contact with somebody," she said. "Now I can wear and do whatever I want. It's great!"
"That it be, chere," he agreed, eyes sweeping down to explore her generous figure. "Remy has no objections whatsoever. He just doesn't want to kick every x-boy's ass that looks your way. You make them drool. Mon dieu, yesterday! Just exactly were you and Kitty doing?"
Rogue smirked. "Just dancing."
A dark eyebrow cocked slightly. "Just dancing around in tiny bikinis?"
"Of course! We were trying on swimsuits for the summer…"
Remy cocked an eyebrow. "Summer is a long way away, chere."
She shrugged. "I wanted to get a good start. Not my fault a really good song came on the radio and we danced."
"With the door open so all the boys could take a look at you shaking your cute ass?" Remy asked, his hand snaking down to fondle her backside.
"Oh don't tell me you didn't enjoy the show," she laughed. "I saw you walk away kinda funny-like."
Catching what she implied, Gambit shot her a wicked smirk.
"Tell me," she purred, slowly stroking his chest, "why did you leave the show so early and let the others ogle us?"
"What do you think I did?" Gambit asked, the smirk creeping into his thick voice. "I went to find a dull object to gouge out my eyes."
Rogue smiled, brushing her lips over his skin teasingly. "Come on! Kitty and I weren't that bad!"
He glared at her. " 'Bad' in what sense, chere? Capering around in hardly anything in a room full of randy teenage boys is very evil. When Remy couldn't get the naughty thoughts out of his head, he opt to take a very long, very cold shower."
Rogue interest was peaked. "Naughty thoughts? Of me?"
Remy gave her a very dull look. "Of course, chere."
She smiled, pleased with herself. "Never had anyone sat they had naughty thoughts about me before. Makes me kinda what to congratulate myself."
He leaned down and pressed a sweet kiss against her mouth. "Congratulations on having every boy lust after you and make me wanna beat them all to a bloody pulp."
"Ooh, I love it when you get all possessive," Rogue gushed, burying herself deeper into his arms. "Makes me feel all girlie. Besides I don't care about the others. I don't do it for them."
Gambit smirked, warm desire glowing in his dark eyes. "Then who do you do it for, petite?"
Rogue leaned her head back so she could see his face and smiled. She shivered when she felt his fingertips move gently up and down her back, his heated touch burning her flesh through the fabric.
"Bloody hell! Get a room and shag your girlfriend somewhere else, mate!" An insulted Aussie complained from the doorway. "Don't really wanna see that before I go to sleep. Talk about nightmares!"
Rogue blushed warmly with embarrassment and quickly jumped away from Remy. Remy glared daggers at John and reached out to clasp his hand around Rogue's, who was sorely missing his touch. John quickly covered his eyes, shuddering.
"A room sounds good at the moment, non, chere?" Remy asked, leading her from the bathroom to the hallway. Passing John, he raised a hand and smacked him smartly on the head. "Thanks, mon ami."
John rubbed his head, frowning, and marched inside the bathroom. "Whatever. Just keep it down whatever you bloody do," he told them. "Some people like to sleep without all the moaning and groaning as background music. Piotr's snoring is enough for me."
"We'll be quiet," Rogue teased.
"Quiet as mice," Remy added, wrapping his arms around her waist and placing a kiss on her shoulder.
John rolled his eyes and closed the bathroom door. Rogue grinned and let Remy lead her down the hall towards his room.
"Where are we going?"
He threw a sly smirk over his shoulder. "My room."
"Don't you want to finish your poker game with the boys?"
"Believe it or not," he said, throwing open his door, "some things are more important than poker."
Rogue blushed and quickly glanced down the halls before slipping into the forbidden territory. Boys and girls had to stay out of each other's room after 9. Remy followed her and quietly shut the door, flipping the lock into place.
"I feel so bad!" She laughed at herself for being stupid. "Being in your room at night and all."
"You were in here last night, chere."
"I know. Still feels bad." She looked around the room, seeing the bed neatly made. Around the bed were still the neat piles of school books as well as motorcycle magazines. The same poster of New Orleans was up on the wall as well as one displaying a black and white beauty of a motorcycle that obviously made Remy weak in the knee. She smiled. "You and your motorcycles. Have you and Logan had a nice long talk about your obsession?"
"Of course, chere," Remy replied. He moved passed her to the closet, where he opened the door, stepped inside, and rummaged through it. That's when she saw something on his back that she never saw before.
"Just how many tattoos do you have, Cajun?" she asked, eyeing the black ink sprawled elegantly across his tan back. On one shoulder blade was a tattoo of a geisha. Even though her black hair was up in a formal bun, her kimono was open to show her ample bosom while her long legs were spread with one hand demurely guarding her womanhood. Rogue saw red just looking at it. The other tattoo was far less lewd. It was a card inflamed with fire.
Remy threw a smirk over his shoulder. "Just three, petite. Like?"
She moved closer to him and ran her fingers across the dark ink. "I like the card but the chick is just…scandalous!"
His chuckle was deep and rich and made her knees buckle. "Does it offend you, chere?"
Rogue shook her head, her fingertip tracing the geisha. "No. It's beautiful in it's own way. The details are remarkable." She leaned up to see over his shoulders. "What are you looking for?"
In response, Remy stepped out of the closet and held up a half-filled bottle. The liquid inside was a faint brown, almost yellow in the light. He smiled at her incredulity.
"That's not what I think it is, is it?"
"Oui, chere," he purred, his smile absolutely impish. "It is."
"That's not allowed here, Remy! If Logan finds it, he'll go ballistic!"
He smirked. "He ain't gonna find it. Remy hides it too good." He uncapped the bottle and offered it to her, tempting her to the bad side with his sinfully handsome grin. "Wanna try some? It be bourbon. The best kind too."
Rogue found her disapproval short-lived. Smiling she joined Remy and took the bottle. "It getting harder to see you as a good boy, Cajun," she told him. "Why," she continued acting like an old-fashion Southern gentlewoman, "I do believe your trying to get me drunk just to have your wicked way with me."
"One little sip ain't gonna get you drunk, Scarlet," he replied, smiling.
Rogue glanced down at the bottle, the sweet smell of the liquor hitting her nose. Then she looked back at her boyfriend. "Cups?"
A look of childish confusion passed over his gorgeous face. "Cups?"
She rolled her eyes, laughing. "Sorry. Big brawny men probably drink straight from the bottle."
"Damn straight, petite. Why dirty a glass?"
"True." She took a deep breath and lifted the cool bottle to her lips, hands wrapped tightly around the neck. The liquid poured into her mouth and she carefully swallowed, the liquor burning her throat as it went down. She winced, coughing violently as she felt the tear rise to sting her eyes.
"It's strong," she wheezed, her throat on fire as she felt the liquid burn a warm hole in her stomach.
Remy smiled at her. "Everyone says that after their first taste. It gets better, chere."
Curious to see if he was right, Rogue took a tiny sip. She nodded and swallowed. It didn't burn this time. The taste was still strong but also sweet and it appealed to her.
"It got better." She smiled and handed the bottle back to Remy. He took a deep draught before placing it in the closet and kicking the door shut. "How do you get it?" she asked, curious.
He just grinned at her. "Secret."
Rogue laughed and poked him in the ribs. "Whatever. You probably have a fake ID or something."
"Mon Dieu!" he exclaimed. "A fake ID is underneath a thief of Remy's skill."
"You steal it then?"
Remy shrugged and moved to his bed. "You can take the thief outta New Orleans but you can't take New Orleans outta the thief. I get my bourbon by any means I can, chere. Dearly love the poison." With a firm nod, he sat down and, leaning backwards on his palms, looked over at her a flashed an seductive smirk. "Unfortunately my method of getting it involves my sneaky little way."
She smiled at him, suddenly sheepish, and joined Remy. He was still reclining when she stood between his long legs, her hands shooting up to tousle his auburn locks. She adored the silky texture of it against her fingers. Remy sighed and closed his dark eyes, purring into her touch as his hands rose up to rest heavily on her hips. Then slowly her fingers moved to his eyes, his sharp cheekbones, down to the tip of his patrician nose, and settled lightly against his lips. Gently she ran her index finger across the slack, soft mouth. With her thumb she placed under his chin, she moved his face up and bent down to kiss him.
The kiss was soft and innocent, a gentle press of her lips against his as she cupped his face in her hands. When she pulled back, Gambit opened his eyes and looked up at her. One of his hands he grabbed hold of hers and brought them to his mouth where he kissed each palm reverently.
"Chere?"
"Hmm?"
Looking down at her hands in his he said, "Mardi Gras is in a couple of weeks. With our spring break from school, I was wondering if you'd want to come down to New Orleans with me. I haven't got around to asking the professor yet but I think he'll give me leave. What do ya say, chere? Wanna go?"
She smiled and leaned down to kiss his brow. "You're so cute when you're nervous," she told him. "And yeah, I'd love to go with you, Remy."
He looked up, surprised. "Really?"
She nodded. "Sounds like a lot of fun. Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Us alone." She laughed. "Professor might have an adult tag along to keep us out of trouble though."
"No problem. New Orleans will be very busy and crowded. Remy will lose any supervision in no time."
"If the professor won't give you leave, I'll sweet talk him into letting us go."
He kissed her hands again. "Merci, chere."
She smiled and looked at the clock on his side table. It was almost one in the morning. She sighed. "I should go, Remy. You're probably tired."
"Don't go," he whispered. The intensity of his eyes melted her insides to liquid lust. "Stay with me, chere."
She blushed. By the look in his eyes, she could see that if she did, they would do more than sleep and that made her heart jump a bit. A deep feeling of longing clawed at her stomach. Controlled by the emotion, she bit her lower lip and felt herself give a faint nod.
"Okay," she said. "I'll stay."
The End (?)
IMPORTANT NOTICE: I took the enjoyable liberty of writing what else happens after that but it's a lemon so I didn't post it on fanfiction because some people might not like that. But if you want to read it for yourself, be sure that I have your email so I can send you the original copy of the epilogue with the fruity scent of lemon! ^_^
Author's note: hah, I had so much fun writing this! I personally like the Mr. Bean part but maybe that's my sad attempt at humor. Thanks for reading and look out for the sequel! Loads of humor/romance/angst in the sequel. BTW yours truly makes a guest appearance in it! It not a big part but I'm in there! Anyway, thank you guys so much! It's been a great ride. Much LOVE!