Rogue observed wordlessly as he took another bite from the greasy double cheeseburger, chewing it ever so slowly. Remy looked up at her and shot her a strange, mouth-full-of-food closed smile and watched as she picked up her own burger and brought it to her lips. In truth, neither felt like eating - perhaps it was the never-ceasing worry consuming their brains, that in turn subconsciously filled their stomachs as well - who knew?
But after driving for thirteen hours straight, food was the only thing to come to mind. Remy placed the rest of his burger on the plate in front of him and looked out over the dimming, arid New Mexico desert from the old metal, trailer that had been converted into a roadside diner. Nothing had been said between them since they had left that morning on the highway through Louisiana to Texas, nothing of any importance anyway.
He wondered if she was having problems accepting the oddly fanciful, but very frank truth he had let known to her, or was perhaps even afraid of him now that she knew what he was - but figured logically, that Rogue wasn't the type to be scared off easily and if she really was fearful of him, she probably would have tried to make a run for it by now.
Her quietness disturbed him somewhat. It was true that she was not the chattiest girl he had ever come across, but her silence irritated him. Rogue was quick to fire off when she was not happy about something and would never let someone walk over her without a fight, but when it came to talking about herself – she was a closed book. It made him wish he could read her mind or something, it annoyed him to hell that he did not know what she was thinking sometimes.
The minutes passed and the faint reminiscence of the evening sun that had been present not so long ago, had now completely vanished, obscuring the parched desert landscape. They had both stopped eating, Remy looking out into the darkness while Rogue absorbed the new surroundings.
In her opinion it was little more than a glorified truck stop. Drivers seemingly from all over the country, dotted themselves about the place - some sat in the window booths, talking to one-another or just sat alone - others played pool on the table at the other end of the trailer, occasionally laughing loudly as one of their own team got lucky. She turned her head back towards Remy, who was sat opposite her and was staring into the dark, deep in thought. Her mostly untouched burger, sat motionless on the plate in front of her as did his half on his plate. Taking a sip of her drink, she sat back as relaxed as she could into the plastic seat making sure her dress didn't show anything unnecessary and let out a sigh.
"So what's gonna happen when we get ta Vegas?" She asked out of the blue making Remy look at her, surprised that she had said anything.
"Find de guy I was tellin' y' bout, see if he can help us. Y' ev'r been t' Vegas chérie?" He asked lightly, needing some conversation to take his mind off things. She shook her head.
"No. Nevah been anywheah really" She stated with a small smile, looking away a little self-conscious. Remy nodded knowingly in response, about to say something else when the entire population of the trailer looked over to the entrance as the door banged open loudly. A slim-built man, dressed in South-Western country attire complete with hat, neck-tie and bad mustache - sauntered into the diner, tipping his hat at the waitress behind the bar and make his way to the back of the trailer where he proceeded to shout greetings to the truckers and then start negotiating play of the pool table.
Both Remy and Rogue looked each other with questioning looks before trying their best to ignore the over-zealous talk of the wannabe cowboy. Just seconds later and Rogue made her excuses to go to the bathroom, while Remy paid for the half-eaten meals.
Arriving back in the main diner, Rogue found the booth she had been sitting in empty and looked about in confusion for her companion. Spotting him over at the pool table playing against the strident cowboy that had entered the diner a few minutes ago, she sighed silently. Strolling up to them, one eyebrow raised questioningly she decided not to waste time by simply watching and made her self heard.
"Hey Rem. Ah thought we were leavin'?" Remy looked up just before he was about to make a shot and smirked devilishly.
"Sorry chére. I couldn't help myself, besides I got a wager now - two hundred doll'rs - win o' lose. Can't exactly back out" He replied charmingly. Flashing her another smirk, he turned back to make his shot. Rogue sighed exasperatedly and stepped up closer to watch the action, seconds later feeling the warm, heavy breath on her neck from someone stood behind her. Rolling her eyes, she turned her head just enough to see who was making a conscious effort to invade her space.
"Howdy miss. I don't think we've been introduced, the name's Kevin Sydney" The man presented himself, stepping around Rogue to stand in front of her - grabbed her hand in his own bony one and plant his lips upon it. Rogue tried to hold back a disgusted look; noticing Remy had stopped play and was looking both incredulous and amused by what was going on.
Kevin raised his eyes, trailing them slowly up her body making Rogue want to kick him where it hurt for being such a pervert. Reaching her face with his eyes, Rogue managing to keep her face stonily cold, he flashed her a seamy grin and refused to stop staring at her.
"Why don't we up the stakes a bit?" Kevin suggested loudly, turning about to find Remy leaning casually against the pool table.
"What t'?" He answered, squinting his eyes just a little, a half smirk twisting his mouth.
"Simple. You win and I will give you five-hundred dollars cash, but if I win - I get the girl" The would-be cowboy proposed sordidly. Rogue instantly stepped away; furious at the sexist audacity of this idiot she opened her mouth to tell him where he should shove his proposal when Remy spoke up.
"Y' got a deal" He agreed, standing tall he caught Rogue's eye and gave her a knowing wink. Her mouth dropped open in astonishment - she was the bet. Rogue glared at Remy as severely and menacingly as she could, 'He had better win, damn it! Or he's gonna wish he was born a girl!' she thought maddened, for some reason believing that he wouldn't lose this wager. Crossing her arms over her chest, her face in a permanent glower she watched as Remy took his first shot.
Rogue noticed Kevin step around into her line of view and pout his lips at her making Rogue raise an eyebrow and focus her glare on him - this only seemed to encourage him.
Half an hour later, Remy took his final shot - the ball slowly tipping into the corner hole. Remy smirked, obviously pleased with the result and held his hand, palm up for his prize. Kevin stepped grudgingly up to him and slapped a wad of notes into his hand and gripped it - for a weedy looking guy, he was a lot stronger than he appeared.
"Good play. But if I didn't know any better I would have said that you knew you was gonna win anyway." Kevin told him accusingly; suggesting that he thought Remy had somehow fixed the game. Remy smirked arrogantly and gripped his hand back.
"I call it luck," He stated simply. Kevin stared him in the eye and they parted slowly, Remy taking his trench coat and placing the money in one of the pockets. He walked up to Rogue and nodded his head towards the door signaling for them to leave. Rogue jumped off the counter she had been sat on and passed the few truckers that had stayed to watch the game, suddenly feeling an arm wrap around her waist, her whole body being pulled off in a different direction.
"Aww! Come now sweetheart, you don't want to leave me now do ya?" Kevin cooed to her, taking a firmer grip about her waist eying her body yearningly. After recovering from the shock of being grabbed unwillingly, Rogue grabbed his offending arm to push him away.
"As if! Ah would rathah poke mah eyeballs out" She scoffed heavily, trying to shove him away more forcefully at the sickening smirk on his face.
"Well looky here, a good old southern belle. Ain't it my lucky night - I like some spirit in a woman" He admired squalidly, not loosening his grip on her, making her struggle more.
"Let er' go homme" Remy stood a few feet away from them, a serious frown etched on his face - staring fixedly at Kevin, though he sounded calm it was a warning none the less. At his words, the man dropped his arm and Rogue pushed away from him and passed Remy, wanting to just get out of the place. Remy followed a few steps behind her, the sound of Paul's arrogant laughter filling the diner.
Suddenly, she stopped mid step and turned back around, a determined look on her features and walked swiftly back towards the idiotic laughter. Remy tried to stop her, but she barely heard his warning. Reaching the aspiring cowboy, she reached back her arm and launched her fist forward, smashing it into the egotistical jerks jaw with as much force as she could muster. A satisfied smirk adorned her face as she watched his head fly backwards with the force and she turned again to leave, passing a stunned Remy who soon followed her.
Once outside Rogue took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. Her previously adorned victory smirk now long gone.
"You owe meh big tahme," She stated ardently, knowing Remy was approaching behind her. He stopped beside her and smirked.
"How did y' figure dat out?" He asked lightly as he looked over at her, his response making her turn to him instantly.
"Ah dunno, how 'bout th' fact thaht you used meh as a bet so you could play some stupid game while ah had ta put up with thaht pervert!" She almost shouted, pointing animatedly back at the diner to make her point. Remy looked at her seriously for all of a second before bursting into laughter making Rogue look forebodingly at him, seriously considering punching him as well.
"Oh, come on chére! It was all part o' de plan, y' distracted him while I won us an extra five-hundred dollars" He explained.
"You won! Ah think ah should get at least seventy-fahve percent o' it considerin' th' trauma ah had ta go through" She replied a little calmer but no less stern.
Crossing her arms and staring wistfully up at the clear night sky, she thought about Kurt - wondered how he was, wishing she could see him right now. Her temper finally subsiding, she began to feel the still, but cool air of the desert and found herself trembling involuntarily.
Remy watched her move away and look up at the sky, he didn't know what she was thinking about but he did know that she spent way too much time doing it. Stepping up beside her, he too looked up and soon realized that it was shrouded trap for analyzing ones life despite its beauty and peacefulness.
"Did ya cheat back theah?" He heard her ask quietly. Looking over at her, he saw her still gazing at the stars and noticed the tremble of her body as the temperature dipped.
"I'm jus' a good player petit'. In evr'y way possible" He replied cockily, seeing her turn her head at his response - thinking she might scowl but instead she smirked in return and shook her head softly. Remy opened up his trench coat on one side to her, Rogue stepped closer to him as he wrapped half the coat around her along with his arm.
"Yoah too big-headed fo' yoah own good Cajun" She stated with a smile, making Remy smirk at the new nickname as they both looked on at the dark sky, readying themselves for whatever tomorrow would bring.