Title: Once Upon a Time
Author: May Chang
Warnings: angst, POV
Pairings: Gambit x Rogue
Spoilers: Up to X-Men #189
Disclaimers:
"X-Men" is the property of Marvel
Author's Note: Just taking a break from "The Gathering Night" with a one-shot. I would have posted this last night but for some reason, I couldn't log in. shrug Oh well.
Once Upon a Time
Once upon a time an auburn-hair thief called Gambit came to the Institute. Naturally Rogue was suspicious of him, flirting with anyone and everyone. She only accepted him because Storm was there to vouch for him. As she knew him better, she found him annoying, chasing after her like some sort of game when he knew full well that she couldn't touch anyone.
He was handsome, that she will admit, and at times, extremely charming. He could get away with almost everything, as long as the Professor or Jean didn't catch him. Rogue was pretty sure he relied on his charm ability a lot, so she was secretly pleased with herself when she kept turning him down.
The look on his face the first time had been priceless.
Still, Rogue found herself pulled to him. She wondered if it was because she was finally getting charmed by him or maybe it was because she knew him better. Maybe it was just her hormones getting the best of her and damn her inability to touch. It was with great reluctance that she accepted his request for a date.
The smile Gambit gave her lifted her spirits because he never smiled like that to anyone else.
Once upon a time Rogue found out Gambit's dark secret. It horrified her to know that he had done such a thing and, with her mind swirling in horror and confusion, she left him to freeze to death. It took her weeks to realize that it wasn't her that left him there to die, but his own self-loathing. Still, Rogue felt so guilty about leaving him in Antarctica, hearing his shadow in the back of her mind, muttering apologies to the dead.
Gambit came back though and she was glad, but their relation was now strained. The shadow continued to apologize in the back of her mind and she knew that he felt unworthy of her. Slowly and hesitantly, they reached out to one another.
The smile Gambit gave her when they went out on their first date since his return lifted her spirits again. Rogue felt that their fairy tale would continue on with a happy ending.
Once upon a time they lost their powers. Rogue was ecstatic, being able to touch Gambit without the fear of sucking away his powers and his life. She was able to flash as much skin as she wanted to, but didn't really because that was usually reserved for teasing Gambit. She was able to get tattoos, the one on her left arm one of the very first.
It was the high point of their relationship and Rogue couldn't have been happier with him, able to touch him, kiss him, love him. The shadows that lurked in the back of her mind were still there, Mystique whispering her disapproval, Cyclops muttering something about them finally getting together and Gambit projecting satisfaction towards her.
If only that was the ending to their fairy tale life.
Once upon a time Gambit crossed over to the enemies again in the false belief that Apocalypse would be the savior to all of mutantkind. She knew that both of them never really believed in Professor Xavier's dream to begin with, but when Rogue saw him by Apocalypse's side, black skin and white hair, a serious expression instead of his usual lazy grin on his face, she couldn't help but feel angry at his betrayal.
Their fairy tale had finally ended.
Ever since their powers were returned, their love-life had become rockier than usual. Rogue wanted to blame Mystique for it, but she knew that it was them. Was she too paranoid, believing that he would leave her because he couldn't touch her anymore?
He would have killed her but he stopped. Rogue knew he was still there, under the darkness and she wanted to reach out to him. Sunfire denied her of that task, whisking him away after the fight is over and done.
Once upon a time Rogue had relied on Gambit to be her anchor to the world. Now he was gone and she was left alone again. Rogue didn't feel bitter though as she looked towards a future without Gambit.
Once upon a time was, after all, a meaningless phrase of the past.