Chapter 3 Cooking with the Cajun


"Ah stow it sugah, they're just beating us tuh the last food," Rogue said with a grin. Gambit blew her a kiss as he opened the fridge and pulled out various ingredients while Rogue started grabbing pots and pans.

"Guess we're gonna have some entertainment here, huh, Jube?" Logan commented.

"Watch and learn from a master, mes ami…" Gambit crowed, bursting with energy and charisma that reached out and hit Jubilee full force. Damn he looked good. Schoolgirl crush fantasies danced through her head and she felt the heat increase in her face. Even worse, Gambit's red eyes glanced sidelong at her in that smoldering glare that few women could resist.

"Excuse me, I think there might be a box of tea left in the pantry," Betsy Braddock chuckled, and vanished from view.

"You are so not fair," she mumbled, not thrilled at all by his little game. Rogue was eagerly washing vegetables off with her rubber-gloved hands while Remy pulled out several knives from the cutting block. Up and down the sharpening rod he scraped them with all the ritual of a master.

"Does he do this every time?" Logan muttered.

"Jerk's just showing off…" Jubilee winced. Logan turned his body so he was leaning against the counter, all the time not letting go of Jubilee. His hands clasped just across her waist, the angle of his body was such that she leaned against his hard muscular chest and thighs. Admittedly he was much more comfortable to lean against then the back edge of the counter. Jubilee felt tiny tingles of confusion creeping across her skin, and she could feel the goosebumps erupting. Play it cool, girlfriend. He seems to be jumping on the love train, so why not play along and see how interesting this gets.

"Now, Cherie, this be your latest lesson in sautéing…" he grinned as he maneuvered Rogue over to the small saucepan that she placed mushrooms into. Passing his arms around her waist he tied the apron on her, just brushing the edge of her ribs with his fingers through her loose T-shirt.

"Are yuh tryin' tuh start something, Mister Lady's man?" she said as she slapped his hands away.

"Depend on what you mean Cherie… de pans already hot, just gotta put in da right ingredients…"

"Gimme a BREAK," Jubilee groaned. "That is like SO lame!"

"Cajun needs some new lines. That's almost as old as I am," Logan chuckled. "This is almost too painful to watch…"

Momentarily he let go of Jubilee and she felt a pang of dissapointment. However she saw him peel off a can of beer from the six pack, then swing his arm around her shoulders so both hands were in front of her again. The rasp of metal was accompanied by a quick gleam of adamantium slipping through the pull-tab, and the pop of the tab disengaging. Gentle movement from behind indicated he was swallowing several mouthfuls of beer while still keeping his arm clasped around her belly.

"Did I miss anything?" Betsy Braddock said, and Jubilee jolted in Logan's arms.

"Um, nope, just the warm up act…" Jubilee said, voice quavering and cracking despite her best efforts to stop it.

"I can see something's cooking all right," Betsy said, glancing from Rogue and Gambit then back to Jubilee.

"And it ain't yer stir fry. Don't think any of US are gonna wanna have any of THAT chow from what I see goin into it," Logan leveled his gaze at Betsy.

"Everyone's just jealous of yuh, Remy," Rogue whispered, her breath tickling gambit's ear when she seized his shoulder and brought her mouth close to it.

At the door Jubilee saw more movement, and noticed Warren standing there with a wistful look on his face. Betsy turned and smiled warmly at him, the sort of smile that lit up her face and made Jubilee think everything was hunky-dory for a second. Who couldn't admire a smile like that, or be insanely jealous the next moment and want to put a finger down one's throat if it became too saccharine. What WAS this? Had the departure of Xavier been the start of all sorts of nascent romances blooming? Since when was such a tragic event followed up with such frivolity.

Stress, she thought. Must be stress. Everyone was so shaken badly by the Professor's eminent death and miraculous recovery, which they were suddenly savoring what they had right before their noses. While he wasn't dead, that strange legacy he had charged all with had pushed each one to reach out to those closest to them and hang on, because it could be fleeting.

"Dear, I was getting lonely," Warren pouted as he walked in and kissed her cheek. "You're a bad girl making me wait so long…"

"I know but you love me anyway," Betsy cooed, pursing her shapely lips and turning around in his arms. Hooking her wrists behind his neck, she gave him a short but intense kiss that made Jubilee's mouth water. Far worse than smelling the food it was, to see so many people on the verge of making out.

"Not another one…" she groaned inwardly. Plunking down a cutting board Gambit started dicing onions and leeks that Rogue washed off. Together they were a culinary assembly line, which brought a raised eyebrow from Jubilee.

"Oh hello, Wolverine… Jubilee…" said Warren.

"I ain't even gonna ask what brings YOU down here, flyboy," Logan shook his head.

"Well when you smell good food and hear voices… you wonder if you're going insane or missing something important… and I see that this is where the action is," Warren smiled. "I see that more than one event's gone by while I was chasing after you, Betsy…"

"Gambit's charisma is too much for one man alone. I think he's sharing the wealth," Betsy smiled. "And I think I feel in the mood to be risky and try some of that food…"

"You'll be sorry," Jubilee shook her head.

"I see you found the leftovers from the Dragon Palace," said Betsy, noticing the forgotten food stacked next to Logan's six pack minus one.

"I don't think yer inta Chinese, Betts, seeing how it's not SPICY enough for Cajun…" Logan chuckled. "An someone's gotta enjoy it the second time around…"

"Leftovers are often like that," said Warren. "But second helpings are FAR better…"

"But Chinese food, like fine wine can improve with age, dear…" said Betsy. "Especially with some new ingredients…"

"Some like different spices, neh?" Gambit teased.

"Yeah, some of us have more flamin' sense then ta kill our taste buds with habeniero," Jubilee teased. Gambit shrugged and cracked two eggs, one after the other one handed. His other hand held the spatula that slid over the liquid smoothly. Dropping both eggshells into the trash that Rogue held up, he then grabbed a bowl of green onions and tossed them in.

"Amen to that, Jube," Logan laughed, and she felt the movement of his chest against her back, combined with his rough unshaven cheek barely brushing hers while he laughed at Gambit.

"Wolverine say one thing and mean another. Looks like he have some good taste after all," Gambit winked, tossing a handful of cayenne over the eggs.

."Don't tell me you're going to cook gumbo THIS time of night," Wolverine groaned. "Cripes, wake the whole flamin' house why dontcha?"

"You couldn't sleep either, could you?" Warren asked Rogue. Still there was wariness that made Jubilee shiver and she saw the tension between Gambit and Archangel. As if indicating his territory, Gambit pulled Rogue to his side and kissed her hand.

"Nope," Rogue said as she licked her lips and helped Remy grab his favorite spices.

Betsy shook her head, and said, "I think I have some sushi in there…"

Leaning over she opened the fridge and grabbed a box with Wegman's on it. Warren went over to where the wine was sitting, grabbing a bottle, and setting it on the counter. He fished two glasses down and set them next to one another.

"Is it just me or is the tension so thick you could rollerblade on it…" Jubilee whispered.

"Hell I could cut it with my claws," Wolverine mumbled, lips tickling her ear. "How much ya wanna bet we'll see cards n' feathers flying before too long…"

"You're optimistic," Jubilee mumbled.

"Just being realistic… better keep an eye on 'em…" he muttered, slowly rubbing his hands up and down her arms.

"What's with all the people pairing off like?" Jubilee muttered, feeling Logan's hands gently squeezing her arms before sliding down around her waist again. He picked up his beer and took another sip to finish off the can.

"You noticed it too," Betsy said as she moved past them. "Perhaps a sense of desperation, borne of the fact that we are finite, and recent tragedies make this only too apparent…"

"You sound like Beast," said Logan, still resting his head on Jubilee's shoulder. She choked, feeling her eyes threatening to water, when she felt his chin digging slightly into the sensitive hollow of her neck, and breathing lightly into her ear. Whether intentional or not, she was going insane slowly.

"We should welcome the chance to live life to the fullest," Betsy said as she looked at both of them. Warren put the sushi and other items on a tray, and kissed her cheek.

"Here we are stuffing our faces and hangin' out, and the professor…" Jubilee murmured. "Is something seriously WRONG with this, or is it just like ME?"

"It's called celebratin' life, Darlin. Doesn't' mean we're gonna be any less vigilant," Logan said as he gave her a hug from behind. "Just that people are livin' in the moment… is that whatcha meant, Betts?"

"That's more or less it, love," she smiled. Warren lightly nibbled on her ear, and then slid his arms around her from behind, one of them holding a glass of wine. She sipped from the goblet, and then leaned up to kiss him.

"You two wanna be alone or something?" asked Jubilee.

"Oh, don't mind us… we'll be going now… think about what I said…" she nodded, letting Warren lead her out of the kitchen. Gambit and Rogue were arguing and exchanging verbal pot shots at one another.


"Sheesh, love shack," Jubilee mumbled.

"Really," he nodded. "C'mon, let's eat this stuff before it crawls away, or gets nuked with Gambit's special sauce…"

"UGHHHH," Jubilee pulled a face. "As IF!"

"What, you tryin' t' say Remy's cookin' is bad?" Gambit asked.

"No, just that we don't' wanna breathe FIRE afterwards," Jubilee shot back.

"Why don'cha move into the corner apartment and keep yer damn spices to yerself?" Logan joked. "It's murder on a guy with enhanced senses…"

"Is that the only thing that's bothering yuh, sugah? Spices ain't the ONLY thing you can smell going on around here…"

"Shut up an' go help yer man pollute his body with cayenne already," Logan said as he threw something at Rogue. She caught the Tabasco sauce and settled down to help Remy with whatever concoction was being put together.

"Eww, I can't help but watch… what IS he doing to that hamburger?"

"Kinda scary. Watching him cook's like a natural disaster. Ya can't help but look and get your kicks outta the onlookers gapin'," he agreed.

"Get outta here, you two, before ah carry yuh out… Remy needs his creative space!" Rogue teased as she leapt up and grabbed Logan by the back of his costume, and Jubilee by the back of her collar. Both of them grabbed onto one another yelling and protesting as Rogue streaked out through the house with them.

"Hey, watch it!" Jubilee squealed.

"What the flamin…. What are ya doin' ya crazy…" Logan bellowed.

"Out, an stay out… if you're gonna misbehave!" Rogue scolded, throwing Logan towards the sofa. He sailed across the room and landed heavily in the corner of the sectional, unhurt basically but shaken. His left leg was hooked over the back, while his head was pressed into the corner, and his other legs and arms were sprawled out on either side.

"Whatinnasam hill?" wolverine spluttered, shaking his head. "Rogue… this AIN'T the danger room!"

"Why don'tcha hold THIS for a moment while I get your junk outta Remy's kitchen!" Rogue laughed. She tossed a protesting Jubilee at him, and the rest of their stuff that they'd dropped. Logan had just started to try and pull himself up when Jubilee slammed into his chest and lap, knocking the wind out of him.

"Oh you are SOO DEAD!" Jubilee snorted, dodging as the six pack of beer shot past her, and was snatched out of the air by Wolverine.

"Kids got NO respect for their elders… what the hell's this world comin' to," he mumbled, laying in a heap with 105 lbs. of angry Jubilee sprawled across his lap, and his head sideways on the corner sofa. One leg was hooked over the back of the sofa, while the other was pressed between her body and the couch.

"Um like this is really awkward and all…." Jubilee managed to get out as she tried to get up from a very strange position, and fell back against him again.

"That my arm or your leg?" he asked, and the cans of beverage were plunked on the coffee table by a blue gloved hand reaching overtop her torso past her face.

"Oh god," Jubilee groaned, flushing a cute shade of pink. "I feel like SOO stupid."

"Don't feel stupid t' me, let's just figure out what hell end is up and see if anything survived the trip…" he mumbled. "Up ya go darlin… easy…"

"Hey!" she yelled as she rolled off the sofa and landed on the floor. "Thanks a BUNCH, mister!"

"Coulda picked something more soft ta land on," he mumbled, reaching out his hand to help her up. "Fraid I'm not it…"

"Says the man with the six million dollar bones and a bad attitude to match," Jubilee grumbled. "Like what IS their deal… you'd think it was prom night!"

"Yeah, really," Logan grunted, having upended himself as Jubilee sat next to him, and grabbed the containers which had survived. Logan got to his feet and went around the room, grabbing the scattered boxes and paper plates he'd grabbed.

"You'd think it was a frat party in here…"

"How would ya know about that?" he asked.

"Um… never mind," she whistled innocently.

"More like my place after a poker game," he said quickly. "An people have forgotten to pony up."

"Did you ever pay Sgt. Fury that sixty bucks you owed him?" Jubilee asked as she tapped her can of soda, in an attempt to calm it. Wolverine pulled off a beer and did the same to his can, wondering if it really DID work. He didn't want to have to explain to Jean why the couch smelled like beer next morning.

"Nah, he owes me a couple dozen cases of beer. So it evens out," he said, opening one container. "Damn, forgot the microwave's in the other room…"

"Jubilee X woman supreme to the rescue," she smirked, and held the containers between her hands. With a controlled series of paffs she heated them up within seconds. Logan pulled off his gloves and tossed them down. Jubilee removed hers, and shrugged off her coat, throwing it over the back of the sofa.

"Handy trick there," he murmured, as she portioned out food for both, and Logan was glad it was piping hot. Soon, two containers of General Tsao's chicken, and a whole bunch of potstickers vanished.

"This isn't really Chinese food, ya know… just the American rip-off…"

"Don't remind me. But food's food, any way ya look at it, and this time of night…" he mumbled through mouthfuls of dim sum.

"Gonna have to show these people how it's done…"

"Gonna make Cajun jealous, if ya do," he smirked.