Hi, darlings! Here's another installment of my latest distraction. Being as I'm so being in NaNoWriMo, and the deadline is about five days away (less, by the time you read this), I have decided to put it off until next year. This way, I can focus all my energy on giving you this! (When I'm not working on my final papers, that is.)
I'm going be doing some more French in this, but as all the French I know comes from X-Men, X-Men fanfictions, and Moulin Rouge, try not to be too hard on me. I'll be using a translator for the most part, because I can't always call my French-speaking friend. God, I wish they spoke Spanish.
And one more thing: You may have noticed, I'm not really writing Rogue's accent. You'll have to imagine it, because writing a Southern accent is pretty damn near impossible. If you need a reference, go watch X-Men: Evolution or, better yet, The Yaya Sisterhood.
Enjoy!
-Forbala-
CHAPTER THREE: VIRGINIA
The following day, Rogue and Gambit found themselves in Virginia. They had made excellent time. Gambit swallowed his pride and let Rogue drive for a stretch, and he even fell asleep, once he assured himself his precious car was in no especial danger.
"Here we are, chere, Richmond, Virginia."
"What're doing here?"
"We'll hide here for a week or so. Then we'll move on."
"We're not gonna stay in some shit motel are we?"
"Non, chere, we gonn' get a real hotel dis time."
"Good, 'cause those highway motels are gross."
Gambit laughed. "My apologies, chere. Remy'll make it better."
Rogue's heart lifted at the sound of his laughter. She realized she'd never heard it before, and she loved the sound. He was always carefree, or seemingly, but his laugh was different, somehow. It made him seem…almost more mature. The playboy thief she knew all too well smirked, but never laughed. This man, Gambit the Protector and Friend, he could laugh. It made Rogue feel happy and safe.
"Not dat Remy don' mind y' lookin' at him, but y' all right, chere?" Gambit asked when she kept staring and smiling.
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," she said, shaking herself out her daze.
That was the second time she'd spaced out while watching him. What was wrong with her?
X
Magneto was pissed. The fact that Mystique had not returned two days later, proving she had failed, was really bothering him. His best agent had failed him.
"Sabretooth!" he yelled. The massive, animalistic man entered Magneto's office.
"Go find Rogue and bring her back. Alive. Do not harm her!" Sabretooth grunted and left his master's office.
Something had to have happened. It was unlikely that Mystique had been captured, but possible. After all, Wolverine was very protective of Rogue. Was it possible that Rogue had escaped? Doubtful. She hadn't known she was in danger. Mystique being captured was much more likely.
X
"Wow, Gambit! This room is beautiful!" Rogue gushed as she entered the posh hotel room. She dropped her backpack by the door and walked further in. There was a kitchenette/living room in the front with a full bathroom in the back, and off to either side was a bedroom with a queen-sized bed.
While Rogue explored, Gambit closed the door softly and went to the windows. He opened each one as far as it would go (which wasn't far, being as this was sue-fearing hotel), checked for observers, closed the window, bolted it, and closed the shades.
"Gambit, how can you afford this?"
"I'm very good at m' trade, chere."
"Oh, God," she sighed. "Why did I even ask?"
"Y'know, Rogue," Gambit said as they sat down on the couch. "Dere's no reason to waste such a big suite on jus' the two o' us. We could get a smaller room an' share."
"Non, merci, mon voleur perverti," Rogue said. Gambit raised his eyebrows slightly. He hadn't known she spoke a word of French. "Oui, Gambit, je parle couramment."
"C'est interesant," he cooed. "But if y' insist, chere." He turned on the TV and put his arm around Rogue. She pushed it away and he shrugged, flipping channels.
X
Logan was pacing in Professor Xavier's office. "I can't believe it," he was muttering over and over.
"Logan, please calm down," the Professor said in a smooth voice.
"I can't, Chuck! God knows what Magneto's doing now! Mystique failed, so he'll probably send someone else!"
"I know, Logan, but I'm sure Rogue is safe. She is quite capable, and if your nose is right, Gambit is with her. The two of them together could probably disappear for decades."
"Dammit! She shouldn't have to disappear!" He slammed his massive fists on the desk. Charles Xavier remained calm. "She finally got settled here! She was happy! Now Magneto's taking all that away from her! As if she needs more trouble."
"I know, Logan, but we will find her."
"I sure hope so, Chuck."
A week later, Sabretooth attacked the mansion, much less subtly than Mystique had. They were unable to capture him and, in all the confusion, Mystique escaped.
X
Rogue lay asleep in her hotel bed. Gambit was making daily payments on a credit card under the alias Etienne Picard. They had seen no trouble thus far, but one never knew. The two had been keeping a low profile. They had bought groceries and had most of their meals in the hotel room. Usually Rogue cooked—it was one of her favourite things to do—but sometimes Gambit cooked, and Rogue was surprised at how good he was. His dishes were usually spicier, in the way Cajun food often was, but it was undoubtedly delicious.
As Rogue woke up that morning, blinking at the sunlight streaming between the curtains, she noticed something different.
There was a man in her bed. Specifically, Gambit.
"Holy shit!" she hissed, rolling over the edge in her surprise. Gambit reached around and grabbed her clothed waist, pulling her back into the bed.
"Morning, chere. How'd y' sleep?" he asked.
"Just fine, thanks, except what're you doing in my bed?" she demanded, sitting up. She looked at his bare chest briefly then back to his face.
"Jus' thought I'd come an' see y'. Do y' know how cute y' are when y' sleep?" He reached for her hand, still laying down. She jerked away. "Non, I'm wearin' gloves. I's safe."
She glared at him.
"Fine, fine, no touchin', Remy sees."
"God, you never stop, do you?" she sighed, putting her face in her hands.
"Not while Remy alive, chere."
"God," she sighed again. "I'm gonna go take a shower—and no, you can't join."
"Can Remy watch?"
"No."
Rogue grabbed some clothes from her bag and disappeared into the bathroom. Gambit sighed and rolled out of the bed. Every day was getting harder—in more ways than one. Being so close to her all the time, but unable to touch—always unable to touch—it was killing him. In the middle of the night, he'd woken up in a cold sweat, dreaming about her. He'd been able to touch her without the nasty side effects. And he had just held her and kissed her. She had been sitting in his lap, holding his hand. They had kissed. Passionately.
And he had woken up.
He had tried to go back to sleep, then he had paced about in his room, and when a snack didn't help either, he'd slipped silently into Rogue's room. When he'd gotten into the bed, she had rolled over and reached for him. He'd gone back to his room and pulled on a pair of gloves then, on further reflection, removed his shirt. He knew they couldn't touch, but no harm in showing off a little.
He sighed and rolled out of the bed. Time to get up, he supposed. The temptation to sneak into the bathroom was overwhelming, but he knew it would not endear him to Rogue, and so he resisted.
Instead, he went to the kitchen, still clad only in loose sweatpants, and began on breakfast. Several minutes later, the bathroom door opened and Rogue emerged in a cloud of steam. She was only wearing a towel and Gambit swallowed hard.
"Hey, chere," he said, looking at the eggs and bacon to distract himself.
"Mornin', Swamp Rat," she called, walking into her room. "What're you doin—?"
CRASH!
Gambit was knocked to the floor suddenly by an explosion of glass. His ears were ringing and he felt cuts on his skin, but he rolled to his feet immediately and looked around for the threat.
There, a massive pile of muscle, stood Sabretooth. He looked at Gambit, looked over to where Rogue lay in a towel on the floor, and he grinned sinisterly. They both bolted for the girl at the same moment.
Look how long this chapter was! Look at it! Isn't it marvelous? I'm very proud. Long chapters aren't my strong suit. Anyway, here's what I was trying to say. I hope I succeeded, or got close enough:
Non, merci, mon voleur perverti = No, thank you, my perverted thief (I like how it rhymes!)
Oui, Gambit, je parle couramment = Yes, Gambit, I'm fluent