(telepathic conversation, unaccented thoughts or foreign words, [translations/author notes], /written stuff/ {words spoken in different languages that I might not beable to add, like Japanese, Arabian… you get the idea})
There was always something about leaning on the railings of her bedside balcony that calmed the turbulent nature of Rogue, where she felt she could lose herself into the brilliant pinpricks that decorated the blanket of night. The innumerable stars seemed to her like raindrops suspended in mid-air, held back from the Earth by some sort of unimaginable force that had control over them. Sometimes, Rogue wished, she could disappear into nothingness and be carried away to the infinite heavens, where somehow, she would gradually be composed of a substance that would make her shine, even if the light she emitted was barely noticeable.
Stargazing was having effects that were unaccounted for, she mused, her ears alert for the sucking sound that meant Kitty was back in the room they shared; or the BAMF that marked Kurt's frequent intrusions ever since Dr. McCoy had announced her awakening after Apocalypse's assault on her. Rogue had to admit that she was fed up with some people's intentions; specifically those who desired to have her in their employment for satisfaction of personal means. Heaving a sigh in an attempt to vacate her mind of past memories of Mystique, Mesmero, Apocalypse, and anyone else who dared be in command of her, Rogue closed her eyes for a moment, catching herself wishing that she was back in the infirmary, tubes stuck to her and all. It was just so difficult to dream of an instance of clarity, and that just wasn't for peace of mind.
All right, so maybe the latter was something Rogue deeply craved also, pushing absorbed psyches aside and dwelling on the person that she knew to be her, if that were possible. Who was she, anyway? Like the stars, what exactly was she made of? There must be more to stars than gases and huge chunks of rocks. But does that apply to me as well?
Rogue had an annoying suspicion that a particular feeling was hinting at forming her into being her own individual, not just a whirlwind that sucked everything in its path into itself. And that emotion liked to call itself Remy LeBeau, or Gambit, to be precise. Each time she found herself gazing into his blazing ruby-on-obsidian eyes, she couldn't elucidate how that simple action often changed how she viewed the world. An excellent example was how she tolerated his so-called 'charming' and cocky antics – a King of Hearts card given to her on their first meeting that literally blew up in her face; they were supposed to be fighting at that time, and the combat was delayed by a few captivating seconds of staring between the two mutants.
There was also that occasion when Rogue had first spoken to Remy under a tree outside of Bayville High, and it was all she could do to further prevent Kitty's teasing of him to her. It didn't help when Mesmero controlled her, she gave Gambit a rather hostile kiss that, while effectively draining his powers, caused her to blush furiously at the mere mention of the incident. But when she thought she couldn't take any more of Remy's blatant attempts at obtaining her heart, Rogue tried to forget the fact that she heard Kitty and Amara whispering about the Acolytes' frequent visits to mansion, with Remy apparently sneaking down to the infirmary and kneeling beside her bed, as if expecting her to wake up instantly.
Rogue first scoffed when Kurt confirmed Gambit's actions, but she soon recognized the look of disgust on his face when Rogue surveyed his [Kurt's] expression. It turned out that the X-Men, Brotherhood, and Acolytes would have joint training sessions to prepare themselves for any attacks the Apocalypse might have planned, much to almost everyone's protests and dismay. Lance and Kitty took this opportunity to bond more with each other, amidst the lack of approval of the other X-Men, and a most displeased Colossus. Soon, other possible couples' relationships began to develop, with Pyro and Magma being the frontrunners, and Boom Boom's [who remained unaffiliated] constant and persistent flirtations with almost every male on all teams.
Remy, for his part, followed suit, trying to charm Rogue with his flirtatious grins, pick-up-lines, and corny responses to her attempts at evasion whenever the chance was given to him. She was proud of herself for actually being able to resist his charms, one of the few to be able to do so, she was told. But in the deepest corners of her heart and mind, she knew that her resolve was gradually crumbling. Who really couldn't give in to the Cajun charmer, anyway? With his brilliantly fiery red eyes that made your insides dissolve into puddles, the ruggedness that was certainly appealing to an extent [he wasn't as hairy as Logan, thankfully], his grammatically incorrect sentences that were said with a tinge of his accent and a dash of playfulness… his power, was he even aware that he could make girls and not just playing cards combust?
"Stop that." Rogue mumbled; irritated at how she was starting to sound like Kitty on a hormonal rampage when she saw Lance in sweats. "Look what yoah doin' ta me, Remy!" She wailed almost in desperation, a blush creeping up her cheeks when she realized that someone could've heard her.
"Au contraire, ange. [On the contrary, angel.] Remy t'inks ya like what he be doin' t' ya, eh?" A voice that Rogue knew all too well drawled; sending shivers down her spine and at the same time, letting her cheeks drown in embarrassment that was triggered by his words. And there he was, all in his faded trench coat glory, Remy LeBeau, dropping down from the rooftops above Rogue's balcony. It was too much like a clichéd event, where the guy that you were musing about guiltily suddenly materializes in front of you, causing you to retreat abashedly.
"What are yah doin' here, an' what do yah want, LeBeau?" Rogue questioned edgily, waving off any thoughts that Remy might've had of catching her in the act of thinking about him. Remy thought differently, since she was, after all, talking him. And that served as a huge accomplishment on his part, getting Rogue to speak five words to him without a tone of irritation. Or maybe he was just imagining things this time, unless Rogue had a hidden talent in acting that she was manifesting only now.
Interesting. "Didn't Herr [Mr.] Wagner inform ya o' de trainin' session after dinner? Buckethead an' de ot'er boys jus' came now, an' Remy t'ought dat he'd come up here t' check on ya when ya weren't dere. As fo' what I want…" A grin spread across his face generously as he continued, an amused gleam twinkling in his eyes. "Remy knows dat he'd be de reason dat you wouldn't want t' attend, if ever… so he t'ought t' collect ya an' bring ya dere... an' as always, I want ya. I t'ink ya know dat." Remy piped out, hoping sincerely that he would be successful.
He had a few triumphs when it came to wooing Rogue, too little to satisfy him. One time, he had managed to get her to agree to go out with him for a movie – but Jamie Madrox, the young mutant who had taken a liking to tagging along with everyone at the wrong times, had come along and insisted they watch Shrek 2. Now, Remy had nothing against smelly ogres, but the idea of Rogue begging him to protect her as they watched a flick like Van Helsing was definitely more appealing.
So there was his continuous roller coaster of love, sometimes going backwards unexpectedly, or lunging forward and taking turns and twists in numerous loops… Remy sighed, wishing Rogue would just give in to him. Never did he have such difficulty in getting a girlfriend; the girls would usually pursue him, not vice versa. Sometimes, Remy thought he was too delusional in wanting Rogue; the girl barely opened up to anyone, let alone him! And there were just too many things to consider – Remy could make a list, but he'd probably leave it in his other pair of pants. He only hoped he could hang on and never get tired of waiting…
"Remy, are yah listenin' ta me?" Rogue demanded harshly, jerking Remy away from his mini-reverie. Remy could've smacked himself repetitively for being unable to be attentive to her for a second; what if she said something urgent and since he was spacing out, he missed it?
"Chérie…" Remy mumbled, glancing up at her apologetically. "Sorry; I was bein' a space cadet dere fo' a sec." When he got a small nod and an indifferent expression for an answer, he looked away briefly, a defeated glimmer in his eyes. "Xavier an' Mags say dat we'll be meetin' an important person later," He began, fiddling with a particularly tattered Ace of Hearts card fretfully. "De person'll join de Acolytes an' help us out wit' fightin' de Apocalypse. Should be useful, Remy quotes…"
Rogue nodded, curiosity growing in her. Who was this supposedly mysterious ally that their side had gained? And while she pretended to contemplate his statement, she secretly snuck him a searching glance. Didn't he know that he was driving her insane, being a few feet away, and his scent so intoxicating? But he won't know, 'cause you won't let him. Duh. Rogue recurrently scolded herself for her vagueness, but she couldn't help it. She wouldn't help it. She was stubborn and scared, and that was okay. Really.
"Rogue, I'll be seein' ya en bas [downstairs], d'accord [okay]?" Remy's voice drifted in her mind, causing waves to ripple her inner ocean. She gave him a small grin and motioned for him to go, which he did - a little too briskly for her liking. Rogue hoped that he was reluctant in his decision; she herself was wondering why she let him leave.
x
Rogue traipsed down the carpeted corridor after a while, taking her time as she entered the hidden elevator that would lead her to the Institute's secret basement levels. She wrinkled her nose at the thought of those outsiders, the Acolytes and Brotherhood, trashing the place where they practiced and prepared for combat. Silence was an atypical thing to come across in this area, and now, with all sorts of people crashing into their home, Rogue didn't look forward to training sessions as much as she used to. And mind you, that was very little, since Scott always had his fanciful daydreams of turning the entire X-Team into a bunch of buffed, military-tactics-crazy guy like he often was.
When she reached the metal doors of the Danger Room, she laid an ungloved hand across the cool surface of the access indication pad [is there such a thing?] of the entrance. The computerized security system recognized her handprint instantly, the doors sliding to welcome her in. Rogue almost smiled when she heard Remy greet her with an enthusiastic "Chérie, how've ya been? Ya look mo' belle [beautiful] than ever!" with her expecting him to rush forward and devote all of his attention to her. After a few moments and the feeling that something wasn't right, she gazed up, surrendering to her confusion and anticipation. She scanned the room for him; she saw Toad being hurtled at a wall by no less than the Scarlet Witch, Lance and Kitty kissing while an audibly jealous Colossus glared, later hit by a victorious Blob [who rarely obtained a win in a practice match; this was a big thing for him!]… Where was Remy?
Rogue persisted on her search. When she almost gave up and was about to approach Jean and ask for a recap of the team's activities, she stood still, suddenly paralyzed by what she saw at the corner of her eye. With disbelieving, shocked emerald eyes, Rogue finally found Remy and his whereabouts: talking in a corner with a girl she obviously had never laid her sight on. That wasn't the thing that startled her; Remy was always known to be in the vicinity of women like this mysterious stranger. The display that greatly astonished her was that Remy was bestowing the same look of charm, mixed with desire and adoration again. And it wasn't intended for her; from where she stood, she could see that he was gazing intently in the unknown girl's eyes; oblivious to everything that was going on.
[AN: Am I evil, or what? grins innocently I just want to see how you guys will react to this. In the meantime, reviews help to speed up my updates and kill the supposed suspense… and it'd be cool if you guys guessed whom the mystery Acolyte is. I'll have Hershey's Kisses ready for anyone who gets it right… ;) Adieu, don't forget to review!]