"Look at the wonderful roses Joseph got me! Aren't they stunnin'? They're a pre-birthday gift!" Rogue fumbled with a glass vase as she tried to arrange a dozen yellow roses in it with one hand over the kitchen sink. Her other hand was tightly clutching Joseph's hand. Realizing it was nearly impossible to maneuver so many flowers while holding glass, she reluctantly broke free of Joseph, and began separating the petals to give the flora a more voluptuous and fuller appearance.
"Yes, they certainly are lovely." Storm agreed submissively. She was keeping one eye on Gambit. He was sitting at the kitchen table opposite an anxious Jean, who was discretely moving the salt and pepper shakers away from him. It wouldn't do much good though, because he was already holding a hot coffee that appeared to be bubbling and emanating a faint and dangerous glow.
"They remin' me of spring!" Rogue continued, tearing herself away from the flowers, and wrapping her arms around Joseph. He smiled broadly and embraced her hug in reciprocation. They broke apart only at a loud, gruff snort from Gambit.
"What? What? You find somethin' funny with mah flowers now, too?" Rogue spat at Gambit, who did not look very amused. He had been taking pot shots at Joseph ever since they returned from their first date.
"Non, chèrie. Dey pretty. Spring is nice, but not what Joseph goin' for, neh? Yellow means friendship, not love. An' roses, dey too commercial f' you. Your favourite is de carnations, non? Dey remind you of freedom and raw beauty at de same time." Gambit didn't look at Rogue as he nonchalantly sipped his coffee, but he could feel her fuming. He smiled inside.
"Stop it, Remy!" Rogue's voice grew alarmingly stern, before she turned to Joseph and lovingly muted her tone. "Ah like roses jus' the same, sugah. Thank Yah."
Gambit stared at the coffee mug, but did not drink any more. His hint of a smug expression had quickly faded away. Instead, his jaw had clenched tight and a surge of pain had shot across his expressive eyes.
Rogue had seen this look before; several times, in fact. Every time he tried to get a dig in about her relationship, any snide comments he would throw her way, she shot him down with utmost resentment. All she wanted was for him to stop verbally abusing her boyfriend!
Well, she did like when Gambit was jealous; it proved to her that he still cared for her, and that their old relationship had meant something to him. But he had grown nasty, and it was going a little too far. "Just like that damn Cajun to want what he can't have."
Although she didn't enjoy being so harsh with Remy, her tactics proved effective. He always stopped immediately, no questions asked. But she felt that a little bit of him seemed to die inside, and each one of his attacks would be weakened thereafter. There was no mistaking it, she felt an underlying wave of guilt, but would push her upset and worry to the back of her mind each time, letting it build in silence.
That evening, Rogue ventured down from her room to the first floor of the X-Mansion. She had been reading a romance novel in her room as an escape, but her eyes grew tired and watery. Reluctantly, she shut off her bedside table lamp and decided to go down to the kitchen for a late snack. On the way, she found Storm and Wolverine standing by the door with Gambit, who was carrying a duffle bag under his left arm. Rogue's stomach flipped, and she suddenly felt nauseous.
"Oh No, Ah finally did it. Ah finally pushed the poor Cajun so hard that he's runnin' again." Immediately her thoughts of angst developed into anger. "He's runnin' again. All he evah does is run. Ah can't trust 'im foah anything, 'cept tah run away!"
"Yoah leavin' so soon, Swamp Rat?" Rogue finally spoke, her voice cold and bitter.
"Yeah, t'New Oleans. Got some stuff dat I gotta do der. I be back soon enough."
This time it was Rogue's chance to scoff. "Sure, yah will. See you in a month or two."
Wolverine tried to talk some sense into Rogue and calm her down before things got too ugly. "He's only leaving for a few days, kid. Don't get yourself all worked up."
"Rogue, I be back before your birt'day, petite. Y'know Gambit wouldn' miss dat f'anyting. Gambit promise, wit his whole heart." He spoke in a genuinely loving tone, hoping that it would comfort her a bit. Unfortunately, she only narrowed her lids and stared forebodingly at his red-on-black eyes.
Remy sighed and turned back to Wolverine and Storm. "Stormy, Wolvie." He nodded to each of them, and slipped out of the front door into the dark night.