AN: So for those of you who are interested, I made a video to go with this story. It's supposed to be the opening credits. I really only made it for my own amusement, but then I really only wrote this story for my own amusement so I figured, why not share the video too? Haha.
www DOT youtube DOT com /watch?v=p8YZiy91kcE
Episode 7
Gambit joined Rogue for breakfast outside the next morning. There was a cool breeze, but otherwise it was quite warm and a pleasant place to eat.
"Morning," he said as he set his plate down beside hers.
"Morning," she replied.
There was an odd kind of silence as Gambit sat down. They ate in that silence for a time, until finally, Rogue spoke up.
"I'm just curious, Remy," she said. "If, umm, if you didn't...have feelings for me, would you have sent us into elimination last night?"
Gambit let out a long slow breath, his eyes on his plate.
"I have no idea," he said at last. "I can't, won't, and haven't denied that I wanted you to stay in the house, and that was my main influence. However, strategically, sending Wanda and Toad in instead of you was still the smart thing to do."
Rogue nodded. "I was just wondering."
Gambit turned his head and considered her for a moment as he cut off his next mouthful. "Amara's comment about 'who do you have to sleep with' got to you?"
Rogue shrugged.
"You'd think I'd be used to the 'old maid' jokes by now," she said.
Gambit put his hand on her nearest shoulder and rubbed her gently. "I somehow don't think they're supposed to be jokes."
"Thank you, Captain Obvious."
"You're welcome, Inconspicuous Girl."
Rogue laughed and a more comfortable silence followed.
"So, ahh," Gambit said, feeling a little awkward, and feeling irritated about feeling awkward, "I was hoping that, ahh, after this Beauty and the Geek thing is over, maybe you'd like to get together with me sometime?"
"Are you asking me out on a date, or asking me to be your girlfriend?" Rogue asked, picking up her glass of orange juice.
"Both," Gambit said and Rogue made a non-committal grunt as she drank. "That a problem?"
Rogue shrugged and put her glass back down.
"Well, on top of the fact that I'm untouchable, we live in different states," she said. "Do you really think we have a chance of working?"
"More, actually," Gambit replied. "Harder to get frustrated about not being able to touch."
"Uh huh. You don't think you might start having issues about not getting any?" Rogue asked skeptically. "Maybe start seeing someone else on the side?"
"I don't cheat," Gambit said firmly.
Rogue snorted contemptuously and Gambit glared at her.
"I don't have times for cheating," he said angrily. "I'm too busy being jealous to even consider it."
"Jealous," Rogue repeated with disbelief.
"I have a jealous streak a mile long," Gambit told her. "The kind where I get jealous when I see my girlfriend hugging her male cousin. Worse, I even knew he was her cousin and that they weren't at all interested in each other like that, and I still went off my rocker."
Rogue looked at Gambit like she couldn't quite believe what she was hearing.
"Seriously?" she asked.
"Seriously. Irrational jealousy is the primary cause of breakups with women I actually care about," Gambit said, picking at his food. "So, in the interests of full disclosure, know that regardless of how long a distance we may or may not be, I will likely drive us both insane with insatiable anxiety."
"Oookay..." Rogue said slowly, "what about women you don't care about?"
"Boredom, irritation or—in more recent times—started to develop feelings for them," Gambit replied glumly.
"You break up with women because you start to care about them?" Rogue asked in astonishment.
"I can't live with the anxiety, I figure sooner or later I'm just going to sabotage my own relationship, so why not end it now and that way I don't have to deal with the stress. I haven't dated a woman I cared about in years now."
Rogue stared at Gambit for a long moment.
"Wow," she said finally. "You know, I think this is the first time anyone's ever told me they're just as screwed up as I am."
Gambit cracked a tiny smile.
"So, why me?" Rogue asked. "Why are you...putting your womanising on hold for me?"
Gambit shook his head, and threw his fork down on his plate.
"Damn, Rogue, I have no idea," he said. "I even got jealous while you were doing the speed dating. I knew you weren't going to be seeing any of those guys again, hell, we weren't even a couple, and still my blood was boiling. Normally that would be a pretty good indication I should stay away from you."
"Wow, really?" Rogue asked with an incredulous smile on her face. "You were jealous of the speed date?"
"I told you it was irrational," he said, and sighed. "I don't know. I think my heart's gotten tired of being spat on and has decided to mutiny."
Rogue laughed. She reached over and took his hand in hers. Gambit looked up at her with a despairing look in his eye.
"Okay," she said. "I'll go out with you. On a date, that is. I'm not really sure about the girlfriend thing just yet."
Gambit smiled. "Great."
The housemates entered the study. On the desk were a couple of fashion magazines and a history book. Neither items filled anyone with much hope. They sat down on the two lounges. On one was Lance, Rogue holding hands with Gambit, and X-23; and on the other were Amanda, Kurt, Wanda and Toad. Finally Spyke entered the room.
"Good morning," he said.
"Good morning," everyone replied.
"How does it feel to be part of the final four?"
"Good."
"Great."
"Scary."
"Didn't expect to be here still."
Spyke smiled. "For your next challenge, Beauties, you'll be learning all about modern history."
A series of groans followed.
"And Geeks, you'll be learning all about fashion."
Another series of groans followed, this time from the Geeks, and it came with a small cheer from the Beauties. Spyke put his hands on the two piles on the desk.
"These are your study materials. Good luck. I'll see you tomorrow.."
Gambit sat down with X-23 at the table and listened intently as X-23 lectured him on the material. This was the first challenge he had gone into unarmed with existing knowledge. His education in history was mostly limited to the history of the Thieves Guild; the rest of it served him no practical purpose and so he paid very little attention to it. Now that inattention was coming up to bite him, and it was vital that he took X-23's tutelage seriously.
Later they swapped and Gambit took the time to teach X-23 about fashion. He found it a little bizarre that he knew more about women's fashions than X-23 did, and he blamed it on all the ex-girlfriends who had dragged him clothes shopping in the past.
Toad found that Wanda actually had a better grasp of modern history than he did. They ended up spending more time on the fashions side of things.
The opposite was true for Rogue and Lance. Despite her preferred choice of dress, which had been abandoned since the makeover, Rogue actually had a pretty good sense of fashion. They ended up concentrating on the modern history material.
Kurt and Amanda's studies were just as productive as everyone else's.
The next day, the housemates were taken to the museum of modern history. Amanda and Wanda were dressed in navy blue skirts and white blouses, while Gambit and Lance were dressed in navy blue pants and white dress shirts. Upon their arrival, they were introduced to Roberto, the curator of the museum.
"I hope you've studied hard, Beauties," said Spyke, "because you're going to be conducting a tour."
"What?"
"You have to be kidding me."
"Roberto will be coming along to see how you do," Spyke went on. "Your Geeks may also join you, but they can't help you."
x-x-x
Although Wanda's knowledge of the World War I exhibit was to be desired, Roberto felt she did fairly well at the World War II exhibit. She was also able to answer questions very well.
"And these," Wanda said, gesturing to a couple of large photos in the third and final exhibit she was to give a tour of, "are the earliest known mutants: Professor X, Sabretooth, Wolverine, Storm, Destiny, Mystique and Magneto. Of course, we met Sabretooth and Wolverine in the earlier exhibits."
Wanda then gestured to another display, one of a couple of manikins supposed to be Magneto and Professor X sitting down and playing chess.
"Professor X and Magneto. As a boy, Magneto was victimised during the holocaust. His experiences there led him to believe that no one would accept mutants any more than the Nazis would accept Jews, or the many other different people they were prejudiced against. However," Wanda went on with a smug tone in her voice, "Magneto underestimated the influence popular culture would have on the world at large, and by the time the mutant population boom hit, everyone was so inured to things like supernatural beings, vampire slayers, aliens, artificial and fictional mutants, that real mutants were instantly accepted. Magneto and his friend Professor X were the ones to start the first and most successful mutant power training school: Academy X."
Wanda gestured to another manikin, this one of the infamous Storm.
"Storm, Queen of Wakanda, is best known for her efforts to bring rain to drown-affected farmland across the world," Wanda told them. "She married His Majesty, T'challa, King of Wakanda, and it is said that the country of Wakanda is a paradise in no small part due to her powers of weather control."
Wanda then took the tour to the final display in the room.
"These are Mystique and Destiny. Mystique is a shapeshifter, and she once lead a team called Freedom Force, which worked for the United States government. Destiny was also a member of this team and it's said that her precognitive powers accurately predicted a number of events that lead to not only mutant acceptance, but also prevented a number of anti-mutant cults from gaining popularity. She was murdered ten years ago, and being a precog, this is treated as something of a joke. Mystique insists that Destiny knew it was coming and allowed it to happen. Yes, you have a question?"
"Where's Mystique now?" asked the young man.
"For all I know, you could be Mystique," Wanda replied with a sly grin. "I know she was a gifted shape shifter, but she could be dead too for all anyone knows."
Roberto nodded and jotted down notes as Wanda ended the tour. If all the Beauties were going to be this good, he was going to have a hard time deciding on a winner.
Roberto need not have feared. Lance, Amanda and Gambit were obviously ignorant about a lot of things in the exhibits, moreso than Wanda, although Gambit appeared to be a master of bluffing his way through things. He remained completely composed and charming throughout and shamelessly made up things when he wasn't certain without so much of bat of the eye. There wasn't even an 'umm' or 'ahh' out of him. Amanda and Lance were good with the crowd, although Amanda often appeared flustered.
After the tours were over, the Beauties and Geeks were gathered together for the verdict.
"First," Roberto said, addressing them, "I'd like to applaud all of your for giving it a try. Being a tour guide is not an easy job."
"Tell me about it," Amanda thought to herself. She was go glad it was over.
"I'm going to give an honourable mention to Remy for keeping his composure," Roberto said, with a nod towards Gambit. "If I wasn't so familiar with the material, I might not have realised that you were BSing us whenever you were uncertain about something."
Gambit grinned and chuckled wickedly.
"The winner of this challenge, however," Roberto said, "is Wanda."
"Yes!" Wanda cheered and everyone grinned and applauded her while Toad gave her a hug.
"Great job, Wanda," said Spyke. "That means you and Toad have guaranteed yourself a place in the final three. Congratulations."
Afterwards, the housemates were then taken to a studio. The Beauties were told to wait outside while the Geeks were take inside. In the main room, there were a number of racks of clothing and the Geeks glanced at these with some curiosity and nervousness as they waited for their instructions.
"Okay Geeks," said Spyke. "By now you should know your partners pretty well; how they like to dress, what colours they prefer, what their dress size is..."
"Err..." Rogue said uncertainly.
"For your challenge, you will be directing a fashion shoot," Spyke went on, flashing a grin at Rogue. "You will need to put together two outfits—one evening wear and one set of lingerie—for your Beauties to model. You will then have to photograph them in those clothes and pick out the best photo for each outfit. The Geek who produces the best photos, wins."
The Geeks eyed each other apprehensively. Spyke gestured to two of the four racks of clothes.
"Rogue, Laura; these two racks are yours," Spyke said, then gestured to the other two. "Kurt, Toad, these are yours. Good luck."
Spyke departed and the Geeks got to work picking out outfits. When they were done choosing, they were each directed to a small changing room each, where they found their Beauties. The Beauties had been advised of the photo shoot, so the Geeks only needed to leave the clothes with them, and then the Geeks went elsewhere while they waited.
x-x-x
Wanda felt that the evening wear part of the shoot went fairly well. She liked the little red dress that Toad picked out for her, although some of the ideas Toad came up with were a little odd.
Unfortunately, when it came time for the lingerie shoot, Wanda felt like she was in some sort of cheap porno. She was really uncomfortable posing in underwear in front of Toad of all people, and he didn't exactly do much to change that. He didn't even seem to notice. The only good part about it was that while there had been a few others helping Toad with the evening wear portion, the crew had left to give her some privacy for the lingerie end.
x-x-x
It wasn't until Gambit was changing that he realised that X-23 had been paying more attention to things than he thought. The clothes that she picked out for him were exactly the kinds of things he would have picked himself, and they were definitely things he knew he looked good in.
The place where X-23 ended up struggling was the actual shoot. She went about it very matter-of-factly without much artistic direction, and the instructions she gave him for posing pretty much matched the positions from the men's fashion magazine they had looked at as part of her study materials. Gambit wasn't allowed to offer suggestions, so the best he could do was try to look like he was having fun with it, rather than looking awkward.
x-x-x
Amanda effectively giggled the whole way through the photo shoot. The clothes Kurt picked out for her were okay, and she had been very nervous about the lingerie part of the photo shoot, but Kurt made her feel so at ease, and so comfortable, she was able to forget her nerves.
x-x-x
Rogue didn't have any ideas about how to handle the photo shoot: it seemed her creativity was limited to music. She decided that the best thing to do was to let Lance do anything he wanted in front of the camera, and occasionally she threw in suggestions when he did something she thought worked.
The Geeks picked out the final photos, then they and their partners took a break while the photos were printed and set up. They returned to the studio when all was ready. There were four stands set up with cloth covering the frames that were being held up. Next to Spyke was a woman dressed in skimpy white clothes.
"How do you think the photo shoot went?" Spyke asked them.
There were general murmurs in reply.
"Okay, well, this is Emma Frost," Spyke said, gesturing to the woman beside him. "She'll be judging this challenge. But first, we should see the photos. First up, Toad."
The cloth was lifted from the first stand and revealed two photos of Wanda. She looked a little uptight in the evening wear photo, and downright embarrassed in the lingerie photo.
"Hmm, yes well, you seem to have some idea of what's flattering," Emma said primly as her eyes glanced over the photos. "Pity you didn't seem to care enough about your model to make her feel comfortable."
Toad looked down at the floor.
"Laura," Spyke announced next.
The photos of Gambit were then revealed. Emma looked these over and then glanced at X-23 and Gambit.
"Good clothes, nice model," she said. "But there's no soul in these photos. You may as well have been taking cheap shots at a family picnic."
X-23 frowned at that, and Gambit rubbed her shoulder.
"Kurt."
Emma nodded when she looked at the photos of Amanda.
"Good," she said. "Your model looks happy and relaxed. At least one of you is capable of communicating properly with your model."
Kurt beamed with pride.
"Not really her best angle, but they'll do," Emma went on.
"And finally, Rogue."
The last set of photos were revealed and Lance was seen clowning around in silly poses.
"Mmmhmm," Emma said condescendingly. "Good clothes, and I suppose he looks happy enough, although those are hardly flattering pictures."
Rogue frowned.
"And the winner?" Spyke asked.
Emma sighed as if she was really put out about having to choose a winner from one of those four.
"Kurt," she said.
While Kurt and Amanda celebrated, Gambit looked over at Rogue with disappointment. This meant that he and Rogue would be facing each other in the elimination room. That was the last thing he wanted.
Gambit wandered into Rogue and Lance's bedroom while she packed.
"Hey," he said.
Rogue glanced up at him, then shoved another handful of gloves into her suitcase. "Hey."
Gambit sighed and sat down on the bed next to her suitcase.
"This sucks," he said. "No matter who wins, we lose."
"It's not really that bad, Remy," Rogue said, returning to the wardrobe to grab another handful of clothes. "We made it to the final four. There's very little of this contest left. We'll see each other again."
"I was hoping we'd both end up in the final two," he said.
"I'm just happy I got this far, sugar," Rogue replied, shoving more clothes into her suitcase. "I thought I was going to get eliminated way before now."
"That's not a very positive attitude," Gambit said, and frowned as Rogue zipped up the current suitcase and replaced it with another. There was already another packed suitcase nearby. "You have an awful lot of clothes for a Geek, chère."
"I have to cover up from head to toe," Rogue replied as she made another trip to the wardrobe. "And someone I know talked me into unpacking my things."
Gambit chuckled and Rogue threw a grin at him.
"Is it bad that I already miss you?" he asked.
Rogue grabbed more clothes from the wardrobe and didn't reply until after she dropped these into the suitcase.
"Yes," she said. "If you can't handle this teeny, tiny parting, there's no way you're going to handle a long-distance relationship."
"Apples and oranges," Gambit insisted. "We won't be able to talk to each other until this is over. Once we're both back in the real world, I could call you every day if I wanted."
"If you call me every day, I will hang up on you," Rogue replied tolerantly, heading back to the wardrobe again.
Gambit laughed. "It's not that I would, it's that I could."
"Mmmhmm."
He gestured towards her guitar case as she shoved more clothes into her bag.
"You know, Roguey," he said. "I've heard you practice a few times, but ahh...well, would you mind playing something for me?"
Rogue glanced at him, and then at her guitar. She hesitated and then shrugged.
"I guess I could do that," she said. "Anything you want me to play?"
Gambit shrugged as Rogue opened up the case and pulled out her guitar. "Anything you want to serenade me with."
Rogue snorted. She tested the strings, and while she tuned them, she contemplated which song to sing. She strummed experimentally, and finally decided on Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls. She felt the opening verses were appropriate:
"And I'd give up forever to touch you,
Cause I know that you feel me somehow,
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be,
And I don't want to go home right now,
And all I can taste is this moment,
And all I can breathe is your life,
Cause sooner or later it's over,
I just don't want to miss you tonight..."
Lance had been packing up his things in the bathroom when Gambit arrived, and opted to stay in there so they could have some privacy. Upon hearing Rogue sing, he gave into curiosity and poked his head out the door. He wasn't the only one who had that idea. X-23, who was in the room next door, along with Wanda, Toad, Kurt and Amanda, who had all been in the area to say their goodbyes, all heard her and decided to stick their heads in to watch and listen.
It was only as the final notes died away that Rogue became aware of her audience. It was hard to miss them, as they all erupted into applause. Rogue blushed and hid her embarrassment by putting her guitar away.
"That was great," Kurt said. "Hey, you should have played something earlier. We could have made a night out of it."
"If you and Lance survive elimination tonight, we still can," Amanda said, grinning at Rogue.
"Oh shush," Rogue replied, with a dismissing wave of her hand as she crouched over her guitar.
Gambit caught her hand, and she looked at him as he drew her back up.
"That was beautiful, Roguey," he said, wrapping his arms around her and looking deeply into her eyes. "Merci."
Rogue chewed her bottom lip, and then smiled shyly back at him. "You're welcome, sugah."
All too soon, Lance, Rogue, Gambit and X-23 walked down the stairs to the elimination room, dressed in their finest. Lance and Gambit opened up the doors, and Rogue and X-23 walk through. Lance and Gambit followed and closed the doors behind them. Everyone stood in their positions and looked at Spyke.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, "welcome to the elimination room. Rogue, Lance, this is your second time here."
"Yep," Lance replied with a nod.
"Remy, Laura," Spyke said. "This is your first time. Congratulations on lasting so long without going in."
"Merci," Gambit said.
"Here's how it works..."
Spyke explain the rules as usual. The Beauties were up first, so Spyke told Rogue and X-23 to wait in the viewing room.
"Beauties, your questions will be on modern history," he said. "Remy, which number would you like?"
"One, please," Gambit replied.
Spyke picked up and read out the question, which Gambit got correct. He got his second question right too, something he was rather pleased about. Lance, on the other hand, only got one of his questions right.
Rogue and X-23 swapped places with their Beauties. They both got their first questions correct.
"The score is now three to two," said Spyke. "Laura, if you get this next question right, then you and Remy win, and get to be part of the final three. Which number would you like?"
"Two," Laura replied.
"Two," Spyke repeated as he picked up the card. "Which fashion designer is famous for specialising in clothes for fliers?"
As X-23 considered the answer, Rogue wished that had been her question. She had known the answer well before coming here: Carol was a huge fan.
"Monet St Croix," X-23 said finally.
"That is correct," Spyke said and Rogue let out the breath she hadn't realised she had been holding.
Gambit and Lance were called back to the elimination room, and they stood by their partners.
"Rogue, Lance," Spyke said. "It's been a pleasure having you with us."
"It's been a pleasure being here," Rogue replied.
Spyke gave her a nod. "Unfortunately, I do have to ask you to leave. Good luck to you both."
Rogue gave X-23 a hug and Gambit reached out his hand to Lance. It was only then that Lance realised that Gambit was wearing gloves. Lance then gave X-23 a quick hug goodbye. Gambit, on the other hand, drew Rogue into his arms and hugged her tightly.
"Miss me already, huh?" she teased him as she pulled away slightly, keeping her hands on his sides.
Gambit lifted his gloved hands and cupped her face. "Yeah."
"Congratulations," she said. "And good luck, sugah."
"Merci," he said, and Rogue started to move to the door, but he caught her hand. "Roguey..."
"Yeah?"
He paused for a just a moment, then closed the distance between them. Their faces were only an inch apart.
"Since you're eliminated, you can't be disqualified any more," he said.
It didn't take Rogue long to realise what he meant by that. She started to say "No! Don't!" but all that came out was "N—" before his lips grazed against hers. Rogue pulled back immediately, but the damage was done. Gambit slumped forward, and his head slid down her torso to her stomach as his legs collapsed beneath him. Rogue gasped lightly as a handful of memories and thoughts from Gambit brushed over her mind and her green and white eyes changed to red and black. Lance swore behind her.
"You little idiot," Rogue said, kneeling down, and catching Gambit's upper body.
Gambit groaned and rubbed his head. "Worth it."
"Liar," Rogue said, glaring at him. "There is no way that pathetic excuse for a kiss is at all worth the pounding headache I know you have now."
"Will he be all right?" X-23 inquired.
"Nothing a good night's sleep won't cure," Rogue replied, giving X-23 a nod. "Do me a favour and try to knock some sense into him."
X-23 gave a brisk nod, although she had no idea how she was supposed to do that.
Rogue lifted her hand to rub Gambit's cheek. "I have to go. I'll see you later."
"See you," Gambit replied groggily.
"Wait, just a moment," Spyke said as Rogue stood, with his hand to his ear piece. "They're just deciding whether Remy should be disqualified or not, in which case, Lance, you'll be staying in the game as Laura's new partner."
"What, why?" Rogue demanded. "He gains nothing from being absorbed by me."
"You can't control your abilities, Rogue," Spyke replied patiently. "That counts as assault."
"Huh," Gambit murmured, more to himself than anyone else. "Guess it does."
"I won't press charges," Rogue insisted, and then looked wildly around the room for the microphones she knew were in there. "You hear me? I won't press charges."
There was a pause and then Spyke said: "They heard you."
The wait felt strained and drawn out, and much longer than the two minutes it actually was.
"Okay," Spyke said. "They've decided that Remy can stay."
"So close," Lance said, only half joking. He gave X-23 and Gambit a final nod. "Good luck guys."
Rogue said good bye once more, and she and Lance left the elimination room.
Gambit needed another minute before he could stand up, then Spyke formally congratulated them and sent them upstairs. X-23 kept a supporting arm out for Gambit, although he didn't end up needing it, and opened the bedroom door.
Wanda, Toad, Kurt and Amanda greeted them enthusiastically, as they stepped into the bedroom, but it didn't take them long to realise something happened.
"Remy kissed Rogue," X-23 reported, standing at ease.
"I still say it was worth it," Gambit said, collapsing on the bed.
"Oh man," said Kurt. "Are you all right?"
"Rogue said it was nothing a good night's sleep wouldn't cure," X-23 said, frowned and then added. "She asked me to try and knock some sense into him. I am not sure how to do that."
"She meant you should try to convince him not to do something that stupid again," Wanda said, smirking slightly. "I don't think we'll have much success though. Someone's in lo-ove."
"I am not," Gambit objected groggily with his eyes closed.
"Someone is also in denial," Amanda said with a giggle.
"I'm not in love," Gambit insisted. "It's just...extreme like."
Kurt laughed.
"If that's what you do when you 'extremely like' someone, I don't want to know what you would do when you love someone," Kurt said. "Come on, sleepyhead. I'll get you to bed."
Kurt placed his hands on Gambit, and a moment later they teleported from the room.
"Well," Lance said, sitting down in front of the cameras outside, "this was certainly an experience, and it definitely didn't go anything like I was expecting."
"I can attest to that," Rogue said, her eyes now back to normal. "It's a shame it's over though. You and I were really starting to make some progress."
"Yeah, we were. Maybe if we had tried harder earlier, we'd still be in there now," Lance said.
Rogue shrugged. "Well, we didn't. But this has been a pretty good experience. I actually made friends while I was here. Actual friends, who want to see me again. That's a novelty."
"I learned that I know more, and I'm smarter than I think I am," said Lance. "Man...this is starting to sound like some sappy Hallmark movie."
"I noticed that myself."