"Whuz wrong, mon ami? You movin' extra sluggishly today." Gambit teased Wolverine as he jumped down from the metal fire escape on the nearby building. The corner of his eye caught a bulky figure masked in shadows dart by, so Remy pushed his throbbing feet onward as he sped up his pace to a run.

"I'm bein' easy on yuh gumbo, cuz I can smell your fear" Logan sneered tantalizingly, rounding a particularly sharp corner in the maze of alleyways before him. He ran full speed into the dark shadows of the towering buildings, stealing a glance behind himself to see if he was being followed. He turned his attention around just in time to skid to a stop, just inches before a brick wall. He stood there for a moment contemplating where to run next, when he heard littered paper on the street crumple ever so softly under someone's foot.

Crap! He was cornered.

Thoughts and strategies were zooming around aimlessly in Logan's mind. Finally he chose to speak. "You may be fast, Cajun, but I assure you, I got them other things going for me too."

"Ah, oui, you hear me good, but dat don' get you outta dis mess, now do it?" Gambit stood with his arms crossed, staring mockingly at Wolverine. Wolverine snarled and swiveled on his heals, brandishing the six long blades protruding from his fists.

Gambit took a step back to brace himself, then asked "When dis turn into a fight? Gambit t'ought it only a friendly game of hide an' seek, non?" He slowly drew a playing card out of the inner lining of his brown trench coat, letting it emit a slight, eerie glow to show he was ready for anything.

They just glared at each other for a few moments. They were stalemated. "We done?" Wolverine growled fiercely. He hated the fact that he couldn't wipe that smug little grin off of Remy's face, but then who would he have to run around in the Danger Room with? Logan lowered his claws as the surrounding buildings and alleyways dissolved into sleek metal panels that lined a spacious room. Both X-men headed for the door and down the corridors, bickering back and forth about who had truly won.

"You were cornered, homme. No where t'go. Dis don' sit any clearer, I won. Now pay up."

"I was only cornered cuz you were blocking th'way. One second later and I wouldda teared you a new face, kid. Then we'd see how fast you'd lemme pass by you. Besides, I'm not payin'. I couldda taken you, no question." Logan knew it was a lame argument, but he couldn't face the fact that he had actually been beaten by the thief, when just last week he had had Gambit on the ground, defenseless, with his metal claws an inch away from the sweating Cajun's nose.

Logan waited for Gambit to retort back, but heard nothing. In fact, he had just realized that he was quite a few paces ahead of Remy, who now stood planted to the ground, staring pointedly ahead of him, his fists clenched into tight balls.

Wolverine followed his gaze down the corridor, until his eyes landed on Rogue. She was leaning casually against the wall. Large tufts of auburn hair blocked Rogue's face from clear view, but he could still tell that she was smiling sweetly at a disheveled looking Joseph, who was nervously trying to talk to her. It even looked as though they were so immersed in conversation that they hadn't noticed Wolverine and Gambit traipsing down the halls.

They stood too far away to pick up any of the conversation the couple was having, but neither Gambit nor Wolverine would have needed to, for they both had a strong inclination as to what they may have been talking about. It was no secret that Joseph had been eyeing Rogue ever since he moved into the mansion, but he knew she was always off limits. But now…

Wolverine walked slowly back to Gambit, placed a gruff hand on his shoulder, and gave him a slight, but deliberate pat of condolence.

Rogue felt her arm growing stiff against the cool wall that she was leaning her weight onto. Joseph had pulled her into the abandoned corridor just moments before, explaining that he wanted to talk to her about a pressing issue. Out of mere curiosity she consented to it, though as soon as he began to talk she regretted ever agreeing. Being a bundle of nerves around her, Joseph began to stammer, trying to push out disjointed sentences. Rogue had caught the gist of it, though.

"I think a lot, Rogue…well, of course I think…but about you…" Her attention drifted in and out of the conversation. She found it sweet that Joseph felt so much for her that he would become so nervous, but she couldn't consciously listen to the man for more that a few seconds. "…Uhh, I mean about us eating…for dinner…would you care to join me? For Dinner? Like, on a date? I know you're still dealing with, …more appropriately to say, getting over a serious relationship …"

Her meandering eyes focused sharply on the man standing at the end of the hall. Remy was staring at her. She suddenly felt very self-conscious. Careful not to get caught looking at him, she turned her body towards the Cajun's direction and stuck out her hip. She then decided to gently rub the back of her neck, only to let her hand run down the side of her body until her arm fell weightlessly to her side. Joseph seemed to become more flustered, trying to gain control of his wavering voice.

Gambit felt a gnawing, sickly feeling grow at the pit of his stomach as he watched Rogue toss her streaked hair from her face. Perhaps it was a curse that he knew her so well. She always would become conscious of her hair when she was flirting. Or how next she would bat her eyelashes that extra time, trying to lose you in her deep, emerald eyes...

He felt a pang of lust rise up to his chest, causing him to look away quickly, before tears could come. That was obviously over for him now. He had always hoped that they would reconcile, let their problems from the past dissipate, as their promisingly bright future together would outshine their dark secrets and lies. "Obviously dat not in de cards now, Remy." He thought sadly. "She flirtin' wit 'him. She made her decision t'move on." The realization seemed to sit as a heavy ball caught in his throat, making him swallow uncomfortably. "Just wish we were past all dese damn games. Rubbing it in Remy's face… Merde, it hurt enough already..."

Rogue nodded emptily at times that felt like comfortable pauses in the conversation, but she was really only paying attention to Gambit. This time, she decided she would try to flutter her eyelids in his direction. "That oughtta make thah Cajun pay attention. He loves when Ah do it." she thought rather slyly. Over the past few days, she was half expecting him to ask her out again, after she sent the signal of course. He would always move at Rogue's pace now, trying so hard not to scare her away, to gain her trust. As she turned her head slightly to steal a look in his direction, she saw him purposely divert his eyes. A wave of shock, anger and grief washed over her like a fever. For that single moment, she felt like she wanted to cry.

"Le's jus' go." Remy whispered to Logan in a solemnly broken voice. With that, Gambit turned and disappeared in the hall to his left, trying to place as much distance between him and Rogue as possible. Wolverine shook his head sadly and followed.

Rogue stared blankly down the empty hall. She didn't know what to say. Never in a million years would she have thought he would leave. Rush up and cut Joseph off, maybe... put on the ol' Cajun charm…but leave? "He must be done with me. Ah coulddah sworn Ah…he still wanted tah... Yoah done, Rogue. He's telling yah he don't wanna chase after yah anymore."

"Rogue? What do you think?" Joseph's voice snapped her focus back to reality.
"Oh, uhh…Yah know what, Joe? Ah may just take you up on yoah offah, after all."