Dismal Angel 2010 - Episode 18

Chapter 2: Pinned

          Rogue and Remy LeBeau skipped dinner with the rest of the institute, and went for pizza together.  It wasn't a romantic meal, but to be honest, it wasn't romance either of them were interested in that night, all they wanted was to be in each other's company and that was good enough for them. 

          After Pizza, they walked to McDuggins, the small bar not too far from the institute that welcomed Mutant's freely.  They found a small booth, drank in the warm atmosphere and strong smell of booze.

          "It's kinda weird, bein' here," Remy confessed, he was on his third pint of beer and seemed pleasant and relaxed.  "In a place that accepts us."

          "Today it's just this place," Rogue said, she ran her gloved finger absently along the rim of her whiskey glass, "but who knows, tomorrow it could be the whole of Bayville, and then, the day after, the world?"

          Remy smirked a little, "gettin' just a little bit ahead of yourself there, chere," he said.  He took a swig from his glass, set it down and looked at her.

          "How you findin' the training?" Rogue asked, "strenuous?"

          "Strenuous but…it's nothin' that I'm not capable of handling – I think."

          "Well, you're definitely sounding more positive than you did two weeks ago," Rogue commented, "see, told you…all you needed was a little lifestyle change to get back on the road to recovery…you're not fucked up, Remy.  You were just off track."

          "No," Remy shook his head, "But you wouldn't really understand."

          "What wouldn't I understand."

          "I'll tell you another time," Remy sighed, he looked away, across the large room, a couple were laughing.  They'd just gotten married and a small group had come in with them.  They were all a rowdy bunch.  The groom was running around with a 'just married, god help me' sign taped to his back, the Bride in a lot of ways reminded him of Rogue – except not as beautiful.  "Where we goin'?"

          Rogue raised an eyebrow, "uhm…after here, home…I hope?" she asked.

          "No, I'm not talkin' about that," Remy looked back to her, "I mean…me and you…where are WE going."

          "As in us?" Rogue asked stupidly.

          "Yes," Remy said, he looked her right in her dark green eyes and tried to keep her stare so she'd know the seriousness of his question.

          "Why?" Rogue asked curiously.  "Don't you like things the way they are?" she coiled a lock of her hair nervously around one of her fingers, looking at him.

          "Of course I do.  I just want to know what's expected of me so I can prepare myself from it."

          "I…that's a hard one," Rogue sucked in a breath.

          "Yes, it is.  But can we stay on the subject of my question and not my lower regions, thank you?" he asked, trying to lighten the moment.

          Rogue smirked, "really?  Is it?" she asked.

          "No, that was a smart assed comment.  C'mon, Rogue.  I'm TRYING to be serious here.  God knows in my life maybe I was never serious enough, that's probably why I'm in so many jams all the time.  I'm asking a question, Rogue.  Where ARE we going.  Where do you want to go with me?"

          Rogue downed her whiskey in one go, "how far can it go?"

          "All the way?" He asked, with a shrug.

          "What's defined as 'all the way', Remy.  People refer to that as full on sex, I'm not sure if that's what YOU mean though," Rogue confessed, she caught a waitress by the arm who happened to be walking past.  "Double whiskey…he'll have another beer," she said quickly.

          Remy waited until the waitress was gone, "I'm not talkin' about sex, chere, I'm talking about…love…commitment…marriage…living together…a car…a mortgage…a plasma screen TV and a DVD player…a dog or a cat or something furry…"

          "Something furry?"

          "Knowin' our luck that somethin' furry would end up bein' Hank or Logan movin' in to make sure I'm treating you right," Remy remarked, but jokingly, he sighed, "what I'm sayin' is…life together…I mean…is that what you see in our future?"

          "I…honestly don't know," Rogue ran her fingers over the table, "see…it's not like I don't want all those things…I mean I have dreams like that…everyone does.  Of a perfect life…and marriage and success, REAL jobs…and family…" she sighed, "but…in my current situation, it's not exactly…obtainable, is it?"

          "Only if you won't let it be," Remy responded.  "Together, surely there's nothing that we can't make work."

          "Babies?" Rogue asked.

          "Ah…y'know…" he looked away, "I…kind of…lost…my…want of having kids," he said, finishing the sentence quickly.  The waitress arrived with the drinks and Remy paid.  When she was gone, Remy looked at Rogue, waiting for her response.

          "Can…I ask why?"
          "I have one child.  One DEAD child.  One child who never even got to breathe the precious air or open her eyes and see me or her mother…or anything…" he said, feeling suddenly a little emotional, "I don't think I could go through bein' given the gift of life to have it taken away like that again."

          Rogue nodded, understanding.  She honestly didn't blame him either.

          "I always wondered if it was something to do with the mutant genes that caused the miscarriage…like maybe humans and mutants don't mix sexually…or something…"

          Rogue shook her head, "No…lots of babies have been born to human and mutant parents…Hank's researched it.  Moira MacTaggart has…it's proven that it works.  It was probably because of Bella Donna's stressing or…I don't know, maybe that it wasn't meant to be…I don't know…but it wasn't your fault…" she touched his arm tenderly.  She felt bad for him, she knew the death of his unborn child was something that had haunted him for many years.  It was still there in his eyes, and whenever he talked about it, there seemed to be an invisible wound that would open within him, causing him to be slightly more vulnerable than before.

          Remy sighed, "so anyway…" he looked down at her hand, "I don't want kids."

          "Okay…" Rogue nodded, "that's…fair. It's not like I can have any, anyway.  I can't even have sex for cryin' out loud," she announced, and perhaps a little too loudly, for the wedding party all turned and glanced at her.

          "She's a Catholic," Remy replied to them, to which Rogue turned and gaped at him, "no sex 'til marriage – it's a sin you know," he smirked.

          Rogue blinked, and turned back to the wedding party who were all staring at her.  She could say nothing.

          "I can see you're all very much sinners yourselves," Remy said, noting the bride was pregnant, he took a swig of his beer, "not like that's a bad thing though," he said to himself.  The wedding party went back to their discussions and celebrations.  Remy merely laughed.

          "That wasn't funny, Remy," Rogue pouted.

          "Sure it was.  Besides, we needed to fix that little outburst, after all," he reminded.

          Rogue took a sip of her whiskey.  "You sure that the sex thing doesn't bother you?" she asked, very quietly this time.

          "I'm sure," Remy said, "Labido isn't what it used to be anyway," he added thoughtfully, "sex used to be for thrills but…I don't know…it hadn't been excitin' as much…never found much…pleasure in it…no girl's touch ever really seemed to satisfy," he said honestly. 

          "When was the last time?" Rogue asked suspiciously, she sipped her drink again.

          Remy took a long think, as if he couldn't remember, then paused.  "About…nine months, twenty-seven days, sixteen minutes…and…" he looked at his wristwatch, "nineteen seconds…"

          Rogue raised an eyebrow, "celibate or impotent?"

          "Hmm?" he asked, raising an eyebrow now too.

          "Well…that's a long time for you…" Rogue said, "I mean…this coming from a guy who had sex on the brain all the time…and I mean, I heard statistics that Men think about sex once every three minutes or something…how the hell aren't you blue in the face with the desperation?"

          "Durin' the last nine months or so haven't had much TIME to think about it, to be honest," he shrugged, "does it matter?"
          "Yes, because it's you!" Rogue gaped, "you were sex obsessive…surely that has to mean something."

          "I took care of it if I felt the urge.  Don't need a cow to milk, y'know what I'm saying?" he asked.

          "Scarily enough, I do," Rogue rolled her eyes.  "When ARE you going to stop coming out with stupid euphemisms like that?"

          "The day I die."

          Rogue shook her head but smirked, it was nice to see him back to his usual self, the one she'd known all those years ago, and had been crazy about.

          "What about you, chere?"

          Rogue sat back straighter, "what about me?"

          "Same subject."

          "None of your business," Rogue retorted.

          "Why is it when it's about men, Women are ALL ears to hear about their masturbation and sexual habits but when the men turn it around on women it's a completely different story?" Remy queried.  "I've dated more women than the Blob has had hot dinners…but I'll still NEVER completely understand the creatures."

          "The answer to that, sugar, is that men are so full of it that they'll talk about masturbation and sexual habits because it's focusing on their favourite two subjects.  Sex…and themselves," Rogue grinned.

          "You certainly got Men pinned," he smirked, "what about women?"

          "Women like to keep it allllll under their hat," she smirked, "it gives us some mystery…women are good at keeping secrets."

          "Yeah, right," Remy rolled his eyes, "women are crap at keeping secrets.  How many things have I told Kitty in secrecy that Kitty told you?  Just about everything.  The only GOOD thing that women are good at, Chere…is holding in Farts."

          Rogue blinked, "that is so not true!" she exclaimed, frowning a little.  She could barely believe how blunt the man could be sometimes.

          Remy snorted, "oh yes it is.  And the way I see it…the only way women would be able to really keep a secret is if they were to have it whispered up their asses."

          Rogue laughed harder than she ever had for a long time.  It was nice to have the real Remy LeBeau back.  Yes, he really was back.