Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution is not mine. Also, I'm not responsible for the tongue-lashing I'll deliver to people who try to correct my french, and pitifully fail. While the structure could be wrong, and blah blah blah, and if they had said something about that, I would have bowed down and said 'oops, well I told you I'm not sure if it was really right, but the French isn't the point, the story is, but yea, i'll correct it. and thanks for pointing it out, too.' But I know vocabulary, and furthermore own a French dictionary. Good god, I took French for at least 6 years now, you would think I would know basic grammar and vocab. And then someone decides to 'review' and say "oh hey dumbass [not actually said, but sounded like it was implied], whenever you said 'mais' you were saying 'corn' in French." Uhm. No. You're wrong. It means 'but.' Trust me, it's one of the simplest French words there are. 'Maïs', on the other hand, does mean 'corn' in French. TELL ME you see the difference between mais and maïs. If you don't, you have no right to correct me. In fact, in trying to correct my French, you completely missed out on the numerous REAL mistakes I made, that I found when I went back over my chapters (and am not going to correct until I go back and revise the story; which is after I finish writing it). I wouldn't be so peeved if there was actually some actual reviewing going on after you misguidedly tried to nitpick, but alas, your "'mais' means 'corn'" comment was all you had to say. Damn people, don't waste my time.
I'm not going to apologize for the rant that I usually save until after my story, but that just hit a nerve. I mean, what the hell? I can see how a mistake can be made, but really. If you're going to point out something wrong, point out something that's actually wrong, and significant. And don't try to act all know-it-all about it too.
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Rogue stared blankly at the ground that slowly moved under her feet. What just happened? It was not supposed to go that way. It was not supposed to go that way at all. After talking to him, things were supposed to be okay. But then she could not even get a word in edgewise, and now things were far from okay. She clenched her fists, digging her fingers into the pillow she clutched in her hands, and willed herself not to cry. Pausing for a moment outside of the mansion gates, she steeled herself, numbing her thoughts and her heart. She barely noticed walking into the mansion and through the small groups of teenage mutants; she was trying too hard to keep her mind sane.
*****
Kitty, Kurt, and Bobby were squabbling over snacks in the kitchen, letting loose with their powers a maelstrom of blue fur, ice, and splatters of food. Kitty phased through a piece of cake that Kurt had thrown in retaliation to her crushing cookie crumbs over his head, and it ended up hitting Bobby in the face.
"Hey!" he cried indignantly, glaring at a now sheepish Kurt through chocolate icing. "You're gonna get it now, fuzzball." He grabbed a bowl of grapes, arming himself with a few of the purple orbs, ready to launch. Bobby took off after the blue demon, who simply teleported out of the way. "That's not fair!"
Hanging upside down on the ceiling, Kurt taunted him. "Neener neener neener, you jus' 'ave bad aim!"
"Oh, I'll show you bad aim," muttered Bobby, feigning tossing a grape at him. Predictably, he teleported, but this time, Bobby spotted where to at the first shimmer of sulfuric smoke. Not only did he launch the whole bowl of grapes at Kurt, but he iced the ground beneath the blue boy's feet, causing Kurt, wearing a grape bowl hat, to slide unceremoniously into the table of food, spilling the lot of it on top of him as he fell. Bobby was laughing triumphantly when Kitty dumped the bowl of chip dip onto his head.
Indignant shouts and a unison, "Let's get her!" followed a cackling Kitty outside as she avoided being buried under a pile of food. By phasing through walls, she lost them, but would have ran straight into a zombie-like Rogue if she had not made herself intangible once more at the last minute.
"Rogue?" She spun around, stumbling from her momentum, and made her way back to her friend. "Hey, Rogue?" No answer. Kitty pursed her lips, following her into the dormitory side of the mansion. Rogue's eyes were hard and blank, her jaw set, and she kept stumbling forward as if not seeing. To make things even odder, she clutched a pillow in her right hand, her knuckles going white with how tightly a fist she held. "Hey, earth to Rogue! What's gotten into you?" Rogue blinked, her eyes focusing on Kitty as if she had just noticed her.
"Kitty?"
"Yeah, your roommate, remember? You're like totally zoning out here. What's the deal?"
Rogue paled, pushing past her to their room. "Ah don' wan' ta talk 'bout it."
Kitty still followed. "Come ON, Rogue. You can tell me. And it's not like I wouldn't find out eventually anyway." She paused, closing the door behind her, a pensive look on her face. "It's Pietro again, isn't it?"
Rogue glared at her. "No! Whay would it be? An' besahdes, Ah said Ah don' wan' ta talk 'bout it!"
"It is, isn't it?" Rogue snorted but did not respond. Kitty cocked an eyebrow at her knowingly as she took a seat on Rogue's bed. "What happened?"
"It's nothin', Kitty. Please leave meh alone."
"I can't do that. You're my roommate and it is my personal responsibility to make sure you don't, like, completely spaz out on us. Now, tell me what happened."
"Yah aren' gonna get off this, are ya?"
"Nope. And get used to it. I get my way eventually."
Rogue sighed, dropping her chin into her hands, contemplating a way to begin. "Well, Kitty... what if Ah tol' ya that Ah... well.. Ah sorta have a boyfriend."
Kitty's eyes widened. "Well, I'd say you were holding out on me." She grabbed Rogue's pillow and clutched it to her chest. "Who is it? It's Pietro, isn't it? I knew it! You had a lover's quarrel, didn't you? That's why you're looking so down in the dumps."
"Are you gonna listen ta meh or keep runnin' yer mouth an' come ta yer own conclusions?"
"Sorry... go on then."
"As Ah was sayin'... Ah kinda have a boyfri-"
"Kinda?"
"Yeah, kinda."
"What do you mean? How can you 'kinda' have a boyfriend?"
"Ah jus' do!" Rogue snapped, taking in a frustrated breath. "it's complicated. Drop it, and shut up already."
"Okay, okay. Sheesh."
There was a moment of silence as Rogue fished for words, and Kitty shifted impatiently. "It's not Pietro." She hesitated, twisting her fingers into the thin scarf draped around her shoulders. "His name is Remy LeBeau, but ya might know him more by his codename, Gambit." When Kitty gave her a blank look, Rogue sighed and dropped her head a bit. "One of Magneto's goons. Ya know, th' one with th' trenchcoat an' explodin' cards."
Kitty gasped. "The Acolyte?!"
"Shh!"
"I've seen him at school; he's enrolled now right?" She did not wait for a reply. "I've never seen you two together! I never would have guessed!"
Rogue had to hide a shimmer of a grin. "Remy is sneaky that way."
"I'd say." Kitty frowned, her surprise turning into disapproval. "I mean, I can totally see why you like him, Rogue. He's charming and gorgeous, and that accent is to die for!"
"Whay do Ah feel a 'but' comin' on?"
"But... he's the enemy, Rogue. How can you trust him? He's obviously a womanizer, and who knows, he could just as well be using you, for his own entertainment as well as a tool for Magneto."
"No, Kitty, you don't know him-"
"And you do?"
Rogue growled, her anger flaring. "Who are ya ta talk? Ya were cavortin' with Lance, an' he's jus' as much 'the enemy' as Remy."
"That's different."
"How is that any diff'rent?"
"Unlike Lance, who's simply a part of the brotherhood, Gambit is a full-fledged Acolyte. You know? In comparison, the brotherhood just does petty evils. I personally wouldn't be surprised if the Acolytes didn't have a conscience. After what they've done to us. Or have you forgotten that?"
"No, but-"
"No buts. You'd be better off with Pietro." Rogue opened her mouth to reply but Kitty continued. "I know, he betrayed us, but like, think of his point of view. It's totally twisted. How would you like to have Magneto for a father, and have to choose between him and your friends? And so what's Remy's excuse, huh? I think you should totally give Pietro a chance."
"So that's it," muttered Rogue, softly menacing. "Tryin' ta play matchmaker, choosin' what's right an' what's wrong 'cause Ah cain't figure it out f' mahself, right?"
"Rogue-"
"No, yah're gonna quit yer yappin' fer once an' listen. Ya don' know Remy. Ya haven' talked ta him lahke Ah have. Ya're jus' judgin' him by his cover, an' ya don' even know nothin' 'bout him."
"Rogue, he's dangerous. You don't know what you could be getting into."
Rogue threw up her hands, storming out of the room, followed quickly by Kitty. "You don' know nothin'! Ya don't know him!"
"But-"
"An' Pietro?" Rogue snorted, spinning around to face her. They were standing in the rec room now, drawing a crowd, though it was unnoticed by the two in the heated argument. "He's th' one doin' meh wrong, not Remy. He tried ta control meh too. Confessed his 'LOVE' ta manipulate, tried ta blackmail meh. He made meh feel guilty and awful 'bout Remy, just lahke yah're doin'."
Jean pressed her way to the front of the crowd, followed soon after by Scott. "Rogue, Kitty? What's wrong?"
Rogue whirled on the redhead, her green eyes blazing. "Ya keep outta mah head, Jean." Kitty drew silent, folding her fingers together anxiously in front of her.
"I'm not-" began Jean, but Rogue was already striding off. Scott moved to intercept her.
"Rogue, what's going on? What's this about Pietro? And Gambit?"
Rogue glared at him, backing away. "It's none o' ya business. Leave meh alone!" Suddenly, she heard a soft bamf and she spun around to see Kurt peering curiously around him.
"Vhat's vith da crowd? Rogue..?" Rogue hesitated, her hardened exterior softening slightly for her 'brother.' His golden eyes sought hers. "Rogue? Vhat's-"
"You're dating Gambit?" gasped Jean, and Rogue flushed red with fury, doing away with whatever hesitation she had.
"Ah thought that Ah told ya ta stay outta mah head!"
"Who iz Gambit?" hissed Kurt, his blue fur ruffling as he began going into protective mode for his sister.
"He works for Magneto," piped up Kitty. "He's the one with the exploding cards."
"Rogue, I highly disapprove of this." Scott crossed his arms and stared at her. "He's the enemy! He's dangerous! He's just using you for some plan Magneto has cooking, and you can bet on that. You can't trust him, nevermind date him. Who knows what he already may have gained from you by now! I'm disappointed in you, you should know better! You should know not to trus-"
"Shut up!" Rogue interrupted, raising her hands to cover her ears.
Kurt approached her carefully, laying a three fingered hand on her shoulder that she did not shrug away. "Das boy, he izn't good for you, mein schweister. You should listen to Scott. He's right. Ve know nothing about dis Gambit. He's trouble."
"So that's all ya think of meh." Her voice was low, her head bowed as she let her arms go slack by her sides. "Ah cain't mahke th' right decisions on mah own. Ah'm so stupid fer fallin' fer him. Ah'm not worth lovin' so obviously he jus' wants ta use meh, ta manipulate meh."
"Rogue, you know that's not what we mean," protested Kitty.
"Yes, it's just that we know nothing about this Gambit character," added Jean. "It's for your own good that we want you to keep a distance from him."
"No." Rogue lifted her head, pulling roughly away from Kurt. "No. Ah don' need yah're advice. Ah'm tired of bein' told what's right an' what's wrong, when Ah can decide just as well fo' mahself. None o' ya have even talked ta him, not lahke Ah have. Yah don' know nothin'."
"Rogue.." started Scott, stepping towards her.
"Keep away from meh!" screamed Rogue, her green eyes flashing furiously. "Ah ain' gonna listen ta ya. Ya'll are jus' some close-minded... close-minded.." She hesitated, searching for the correct word to use. "Close-minded freaks!" She shook her head, continuing to back up until the crowd parted a way for her. "Ah don' need yah're advice. In fact, Ah don' need ANY of ya'll! Ah can tahke care o' mahself an' make mah own decisions! Ah'm sick an' tired of bein' controlled by ya. Ah'm tired of yo' rules an' regulations. Ah'm tired of doin' 'what's right.' It's mah turn! Mah turn ta be happy! Mah turn fo' mahself. An' none o' ya'll are gonna take that away from meh!" With that, she bolted away and out the front door, leaving the rest of the X-Men staring speechlessly at her back.
*****
She did not stop running until she was a good distance away from the mansion, slowing into an agitated trot. They did not understand, they would never understand. All they did was judge. They did not know him like she did, they never even talked to him. They would never understand. They would never trust her, believe in her, have faith in her. She was responsible enough for her own actions. They did not even try to understand.
Rogue found her way to a small park, sitting down upon the grass. If anything, they should at least try to be supportive. She sighed, plucking up a strand of green from the ground beneath her. She knew why they were worried for her. Admittedly, they had a point. And, they did care about her. But that did not give them the right to try to run her life for her. It was her life, her choice to make.
She stared at the piece of grass she held, twisting it between her fingers. They should be happy for her, too. She... she was in love. Yes, he was an Acolyte. Yes, they fought against each other. But she got to know him and spend time with him, didn't they hear her? She talked to him and she fell in love. He made her feel like love was possible for her, despite her poison skin. She felt stunning and alive when he was around. She felt like she was worth something. The X-Men never made her feel quite like that. They should at least be happy for her.
Dropping the piece of grass, she undid the scarf from around her neck to examine it carefully in her hands. The delicate green fabric looked a bit worn from being doused in water, but it still shimmered and veiled her gloved fingers beautifully. She could just imagine what Remy's lips looked like under the shadow of the scarf and she smiled, a soft blush tracing over her cheeks. Sighing softly, she pressed it to her lips.
"I love ya, swamp rat," she whispered. "Yah're th' only thing Ah have goin' f' meh."
~~~~~~~
Mm, ff.net seems to be accepting chapter uploads again. Finally!
I seem to have lost my reviews though. I got them by email, but they're not on the site. Boo. I forgot most of what was said. :P Except of course that french 'correction.' *mutters*
About the Pietro/Taryn thing. I know, it seems a bit unlikely since she is a mutant hater, at least with how I've portrayed her in my fic. But again, Pietro is such a sweet talker, at least in my fic. Hey, he convinced four girls to be his date(s) to that dance. But I didn't know who else to use, for one. And I didn't want to create a character. I don't like inserting OCs in fanfics, but that's just a personal thing. Besides, as Taryn is like Rogue's archenemy, well, 2nd to Jean maybe ;-p, it makes things more interesting. Again, Pietro's role in Rogue's life is not over. I could just as well brush him off here and have it assumed that he went off with Taryn, since he's not a principal principal character like remy/rogue. But no, his role isn't finished.
I had a bit of trouble in terms of the plotline. I didn't exactly want this fight between the x-men/rogue over remy to happen here. But that's how the story went as I wrote it. I contemplated changing it, but it works well enough, I think, here. It's okay though, I'll just have to adjust things later.
Rogue loves Remy Rogue loves Remy and she's come to terms with it, she's admitted it. I almost went into explicit detail why she loved him, but i think that's pretty obvious. he showed her that she didn't need to touch to feel, and all that mushy stuff. blahblahblah. Now, it's Remy's turn.
Missed me during those few days when I couldn't update? Yea, me too. So frustrating... I wanted to drop kick ff.net into the middle of the next century!
Rielyn