Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men or the related characters and places. Marvel does.
Gambit had come over a little before six, and for once he looked passably presentable in black jeans and a cobalt blue silk shirt. It was his first official invitation to dinner with Rogue and the X-crew. Sure, he'd rather be alone with her, but anything that might lessen the evil looks that were shot in his direction had to be an improvement. At least as long as he didn't have to sit next to Wolverine…and the meal didn't last any longer than an hour.
On that particular instance he was dead wrong. The students took turns bringing in entrees, and it had been half an hour before they had even got past the water portion of the evening. Rogue was oddly silent, and for once Gambit took her lead. Normally a little more flamboyant he sunk into a quiet mode while the effervescent Kitty Pryde fought a battle with Wagner over who could fit the most words into a sentence.
A loud crack of bubble gum caught everyone's attention, and an unabashed Kurt let out a muffled "sorry" as he tried to pick it out of his fur. Gambit actually had to work to suppress his snicker, he'd never pictured Kurt as the type to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time, but he'd thought sitting and chewing gum was a reachable goal.
A not so light tap on his leg from Rogue drew his attention away from her foster-brother.
"Do ya mind," she hissed, looking perturbed.
"Hey what do y' want me to do, it was funny," Gambit said leaning slightly to his right to whisper back.
"Just—"
"Just what?" Remy asked feeling a bit of his temper raising. He'd already gone through a coaching session from Rogue multiple times. If she gave him any more tips on how to 'act normal,' and 'try not to mention bad-guy stuff' they were going to have serious problems.
The adults, for the most part, had been ignoring the teens, an awesome feat considering they were only a chair away. Sitting next to Storm—one of the most powerful mutants Gambit had ever met—was a little daunting. Well that and Storm tended to be absent whenever he was over. Probably because the kids only needed one chaperone and the residents though he would be more afraid of Wolverine. Which was true…
Storm, her elegant hair wrapped up in an elaborate twist that Gambit could never hope to know the name of, was engaging Kitty in a slightly more modulated conversation about her studies. The ever-intriguing topic that all adults seemed dead and determined to chatter on about. No political intrigue at this table. At least Remy was spared boring inquires of his academic life. Skipping out on a formal education tended to do that.
"So Katherine what—"
A sharp buzz caught the attention of everyone at the table. Gambit was looking a bit flustered, his bangs slipping into his eyes, as he flipped out a cell phone and glancing at the display number.
"I'm sorry, I got t' take dis," he muttered and tried to quickly excuse himself.
Storm never fond of being interrupted, wrapped her slender hand around his wrist. "Do they not teach you any manners child?"
Logan snorted, but a sharp look from Storm silenced him quickly, though the edges of a smirk remained.
It took Gambit a moment to pull his eyes away from the lock she had around his arm, "It was on vibrate," he defended himself putting down his napkin and sliding backwards in his chair.
"If the phone call is so important that you cannot turn off your phone during dinner, than it should be answered right away. Why don't you sit down and return your call before any more time passes?" she invited.
Remy didn't look too keen on that idea, but Kitty spoke up sheepishly, "It's like a rule for everybody. Ms. Munroe made me answer my call at the table last week when I forgot to turn it off."
Still somewhat suspicious, Gambit retook his seat grudgingly, Rogue looking on in concern. That had been another condition of their relationship, when he was at the mansion, he had to abide by the ground rules they had set up for all the residents. The main, and only reason, he hadn't started up a cigarette yet.
Feeling utterly foolish and somewhat concerned considering the nature of the call Gambit hit the appropriate button to get the caller back, who by now, was undoubtedly pissed.
No matter how Gambit felt about Rogue, he was intimately aware that he was in enemy territory. His eyes flicked over the assembled X-Men, he didn't really want any of them to overhear his side of the conversation. He didn't have enough languages for this, German and Kurt would know, French and maybe Rogue, Kitty, or Jean would pick it up. Scott was studying Japanese and Logan was more fluent than Remy himself. Italian was out too, no doubt the professor had picked it up somewhere. Unless he made up his own language on the spot he was pretty much screwed.
An angry voice picked up on the third ring, and it didn't take enhanced hearing to pick up the sound of the screamer, "Where the fuck have ya been punk?"
"Jus' put 'em on, eh Creed?"
"Since when are you giving me orders?"
"I ain't fuckin' around wit' y'," Gambit snarled back before a touch on his arm reminded him of where he was.
"Language," Storm nodded at him.
Gambit gave a distinctly unappreciative look at that and went to get up from the table again before Xavier cleared his throat pointedly. Remy gnashed his teeth but remained seated, still listening to the voice on the other end of the phone which had thankfully quieted enough that the others couldn't hear Creed's words which had gotten much more vile. Logan probably could hear it though, which kept the Cajun from even glancing in his direction.
"Boss wants to talk to ya," Sabretooth said finally relinquishing the line.
Gambit sighed and passed a weary hand over his eyes, his elbow on the table. This was annoyance he didn't want to deal with tonight. Playing both sides of the fence got him tired pretty quick. He smiled briefly at Rogue who was looking rather uncomfortable herself twisting her napkin into knots.
"I hope you have a good explanation for me," the steel voice of Magneto resonated through the line.
"I'm in a public place," Gambit spit out quickly not wanting any important information to be spilt accidentally.
"I'm still waiting on my package," he growled.
"I'm on my way," said Gambit checking his watch in a hurried motion.
"No matter, I've gotten Piotr to pick it up for me."
"So why did—"
"I know where you are Gambit," he said. The entire dinner crowd looked up startled when the untouched silverware by Gambit's plate suddenly levitated and impaled themselves in the ceiling.
"Gott in Himmel!" Kurt cried out surprised.
"They will never interfere with your work again."
"Never," Gambit agreed his voice and his eyes cast back into a distant plane where none of the X-Men in the room seemed to exist. He heard the click but waited a few minutes before removing the phone from his ear. He was half tempted to turn it off, but he knew that'd cause even worse repercussions. Remy was already dreading going 'home' tonight.
As he went to drop it back into his pocket it buzzed again and Gambit looked down at it as if it were a snake about to bite him.
"Gambit," he answered warily.
"You bloody git, what'd you do this time?"
The acolyte let out a quick little chuckle, "John y' idiot. I'll see y' when I get back."
Snapping the phone with a much lighter motion he assumed an impish grin, "Any chance I could get a new set of silverware, I seem to have lost mine."
"He's not nearby," said Professor Xavier relaxing the fears of his young charges. "Gambit," he started diplomatically not willing to let this potential moment pass.
"Leave it Xavier," Gambit ordered harshly, his eyes cold.
"Do ya really like hanging out with Creed that much?" asked Wolverine, a knowing expression on his face, having heard both sides of the conversation.
Gambit, correctly foreseeing a growing movement for an intervention stood abruptly. "Sorry Rogue, but I'm going to have to miss dinner."
Rogue looked up at him alarmed, "You're coming back right?" she asked, hating to sound so needy, but willing to do her own fair share considering her boyfriend had to put up with a semi-public chastising.
"'Course cher," he said smiling in a way that made her feel foolish for even asking the question.
But he wasn't back, at least not for another two weeks, which in teenage years, was an eternity.
A/N: Hopefully Gambit didn't come off too wimpy for you Dark Elf3. He's a pretty tough guy (we'll see that in later chapters) but Remy really wants to be able to play nice with the X-Men for Rogue's sake.
My thanks to: Aethena, BJ2, Dark Elf 3, ishandahalf, Puppybaddog, Streetwise Girl, sheisbeautiful-sheisnotme, and X-Storm.
