Chapter 7: Bobby

A couple of weeks passed and the further away time went from that wretched anniversary, the easier it was for Gambit to forget it. He didn't like the idea that Kitty may have figured things out, but was pleased that, if she did have suspicions, she was keeping them to herself. It was not a conversation that he was willing to have right now. Maybe never.

He sat down on the lounge in the rec room and a loud farting noise swiftly followed, leading everyone to stare at Gambit and otherwise turn up their noses. Everyone, that is, except Bobby, who burst into giggles.

"A few too many baked beans, Remy?" Pyro asked.

Gambit partially sat back up and looked under the cushion.

"Nah," Gambit said as he pulled out the whoopee cushion. "I think we can lay the blame for this one on Bobby."

Gambit tossed the whoopee cushion at Bobby who grinned.

"You've been waiting for someone to sit there all afternoon, haven't you?" Rogue said, giving her boyfriend a knowing look.

"Yep! And it was so worth it!"

Of course, Gambit could not let this simple prank go by without appropriate retaliation. A few days later he brought up a tray of cream-filled donuts.

"I felt like experimenting," he told them. "Here, try one."

"Did you try these before bringing them up here?" Jubilee asked. "Because I know someone who has been known to make other people try her stuff before trying it herself. Not mentioning any names, but follow my eyes." She looked pointedly at Kitty.

"Who, me?" Kitty asked innocently, batting her eyes.

Gambit, being well versed in the art of sleight-of-hand, made sure that Bobby got the only donut that wasn't filled with cream.

"Thanks man," Bobby said as he took his.

"No problem," Gambit replied

Bobby took a bite and immediately spat it back out. "What the—"

"Eww, seriously Bobby," Rogue said, giving him a dirty look. "That's uncalled for."

"Yeah, these are great," Jubilee said and grinned at Gambit. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

Gambit just smiled at Bobby as he wiped his mouth.

"What's wrong, Bobby?" Gambit asked with mischief. 'You don't like mayonnaise with your donut?"

Bobby wagged his finger at Gambit as the others either laughed or looked disgusted. "You… you… Okay, you got me. That was a good one. So, are there any with actual cream left?"

Gambit chuckled and held out the box. "Sure thing."

Bobby fought to hide his smile as he and the team exited the Danger Room. It was their weekly session with Gambit, and he had just called "Popcorn" again.

"You get the screen, Pete," Bobby said as the Danger Room doors closed behind them. "I'll get his clothes."

"Alright," Piotr replied agreeably.

As the others chatted, Bobby headed to the uniform room for the faun costume he'd stashed there earlier. He came back with it tucked under his arm and tried to place it discreetly behind the screen. No one seemed to notice, except for Piotr who gave him a puzzled frown. Bobby grinned winningly back at him.

After a few minutes, the Danger Room doors opened.

"What the hell?" they heard Gambit say.

A big cheesy grin appeared on Bobby's face for but a moment.

Then a multitude of pinprick sized explosions punctured the privacy screen like gunfire breaking a window. Everyone caught a glimpse of Gambit's naked body as he flung himself back into the Danger Room with something brightly glowing in his hands.

The Danger Room doors didn't close in time. A fraction of the explosive energy blew out into the hallway, charring the walls, floor and ceiling, and anyone who didn't get out of the way fast enough.

"Ow!"

"What the hell just happened?"

Piotr sat up slowly and looked at Bobby, who hadn't moved from where he'd flung himself on the ground.

"Bobby," he said, his quiet voice seeming particularly loud in that moment. "What did you do?"

All heads turned to Bobby. Bobby cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Oh, I um, just left him a funny costume to wear, is all."

"You. Did. What?" Rogue demanded.

In a flash she was up off the ground and pinning Bobby's torso against the nearest wall. Her eyes flared with anger.

"Hey," Bobby said nervously. "I just left him a funny—"

"Does this look funny to you?" Rogue screamed in his face, gesturing to the scorched hallway around her.

"I didn't know this would happen!" Bobby objected defensively. "You're always talking about leaving him something else to wear—"

"Yes, joking about it! It was never something I would actually do!" Rogue gestured more emphatically to the blackened mess. "For exactly this reason!"

"I didn't know—" Bobby was cut off by the sound of the control room door opening.

"Alright, which one of you jokers—" Logan began, and then took in Rogue just about to punch Bobby where he lay pressed against the wall. "Ah, Bobby. You're the one who decided to leave Remy the furry pants."

Bobby shrank back under Logan's dire gaze. "Uh, yes, sir."

Logan nodded and looked at the group at large. "Well, we might have been able to continue today's session, but that's not going to happen now. Someone find Remy some real clothes. Someone else find another screen. Class dismissed. Except for you, Iceman, if you would kindly release him, Rogue."

Rogue picked herself up off Bobby with some reluctance. "Whatever costume you gave him, I hope it was a rental."

In stony silence, the rest of the X-Men departed, leaving Logan and Bobby alone.

"See this?" Logan said gesturing around the hall. "You're cleaning this mess up."

"Yes sir."

"And you're joining me for a 5am session tomorrow."

Bobby swallowed hard. He knew what that meant. "Yes sir."

It was hours before Gambit was safely able to emerge from the Danger Room without blowing more stuff up. He wasn't without a sense of humour: he thought the prank itself was actually amusing. But unfortunately, he hadn't been able to say "ha ha guys, now get me some real clothes" like he might have normally. His initial reaction to the sight of the furry faun costume pants had dominated, they'd seen him naked without his consent (even if only for a moment), and his uncontrolled emotional response had nearly gotten people killed.

He was embarrassed, humiliated, and angry. It was a lot of emotion to try to exorcise from his system.

Not trusting himself, Gambit avoided everyone for the rest of the day. He only went down to the kitchen when he knew that most everyone else was asleep. The cooking and eating of his meal went a long way to helping him settle, and he was able to get on with his usual evening chores. He stayed away from the basement levels though.

After a rather productive night, Gambit headed back to his room for a good morning's sleep. It was about 4:50am when he entered the hallway leading past the staff bedrooms, and that was the same time he ran into a reluctantly-out-of-bed Bobby.

"Oh, hey," Bobby greeted him. "Look, I'm really sorry about yesterday—"

"It's fine," Gambit said, determined not to remember what he'd spent the last several hours trying to forget.

"I never would've—"

"Just forget it."

With a curse under his breath, Gambit made it to his bedroom. He walked halfway in, then pressed his hand up against the nearest wall and took a few deep breaths. He just wanted to go to sleep, and here he was feeling angry and humiliated all over again because he couldn't control his powers.

A charge seeped into the wall by his hand.

"Oh no."

It exploded.

Rogue cried out on the other side of the wall.

Alarmed, Gambit looked through the hand sized hole in the wall. Rogue's bed was right on the other side, and she was sitting up, coughing, spluttering, rubbing her head, and looking cranky.

"I'm so sorry, chere—"

"What the hell, Remy?"

"I'm sorry—"

"Nearly hitting me in the head!"

"I'm really sorry—"

She swore as she looked at the time. "It is too early to deal with this crap."

Gambit sighed as she disappeared from view, presumably to get back to sleep. Charges flickered on and off and around his clothing. He just wanted to go to sleep. He was too tired to get any control, but he was too much of an emotional mess to sleep.

He got on the bed and buried his face in his arms as he tucked his knees up to his chest.

Frustrated, he began to cry. But each tear was charged and exploded as it fell. With a muffled groan he opened up the top drawer in his bedside table. There was only one thing inside: a six pack of the Cure. He stared hard at those vials, his insurance policy. He reminded himself he still had a way out if it got too much.

He took a few more deep breaths and wondered if this was the day. If today he was going to take the Cure and end this hell. He knew before the thoughts even finished forming that, if that day ever came, it wasn't today. As frustrating as this whole incident had been—was still being—he wasn't yet prepared to erase his mutation. He shut the drawer.

Gambit looked back at the hole in the wall and tried not to think about how it was the second time in twenty four hours he'd nearly seriously hurt Rogue. In fact, now that he was thinking about it, it was a wonder that he hadn't blown a hole that size in Rogue's wall before now. The wall was already littered with shallow holes, but this new one was the only one that went all the way through. He needed a way to make sure that next time he blew a hole in the wall that it didn't hurt Rogue.

He latched onto this new train of thought eagerly, sensing a way of being able to distract himself from what he was feeling. He sought pencil and paper, and began to plan.

A couple of hours later, Gambit tiredly stumbled his way into the dining hall, and headed over to the table where the adults usually sat. As he got closer, a number of them stared and did double takes, shocked to see him up at this hour.

"Kurt, hey," Gambit said, ignoring everyone and dropping down on the seat beside Kurt, while brandishing a sheet of paper. "I need a hand. Hey, can you give me a lift up to… I forget… the shop that has all the fabric and stuff…"

"Uh, not today, Remy," Kurt replied slowly. "I've got classes all day. What do you need?"

"Oh, well," he held out the paper. "I'm building a thing to make sure Rogue doesn't get hit in the head with any more exploding drywall."

"Rogue got hit in the head with exploding drywall?" Kitty repeated. "Is she okay? Where is she?"

"She's fine," Logan assured her, with one eye on Gambit. "I saw her leave for work this morning."

"I don't know what fabric I should use," Gambit went on, seemingly oblivious to the fact that anyone else was even at the table.

Kurt looked at the paper, then back at Gambit, who was propping his head up on the table.

"You drew this up this morning?" Kurt asked.

"Mmhmm." Gambit yawned.

"Right…" Kurt said slowly. "Why don't you leave this with me, and we can discuss it at domestic science this afternoon? There's a few options here. It's not something you can just sort out in a five minute conversation."

"Okay." Gambit yawned again, His elbow began to slide across the table, taking his head and upper body along with it.

"You really should go to bed."

Gambit blinked a couple of times, and only then seemed to register Kurt's words: "Oh, right yeah. Going to bed."

After a moment he picked himself up and headed back to his room.

Gambit inevitably slept in, and didn't wake up until domestic science was halfway over. He skidded to a halt outside the classroom door, still with bed hair, and dressed in the school tracksuit.

"Ah, good, you made it," Kurt said upon seeing him, and gestured for him to come to the desk. "I've already taken the liberty of going over this design of yours, and I have a few thoughts. Though, you might want to confirm that I'm understanding what you're wanting to achieve here."

"Okay, great," Gambit said as he walked over, ignoring the glances of the younger students. "Oh, and sorry I'm late."

"You had a pretty crappy day, ah, last 24 hours," Kurt said with a wave. "Don't worry about it."

They spent the rest of the class going over the design, making refinements, and finally producing a list of materials to pick up. They chatted further for a couple of minutes after the class ended, and then Gambit finally left. As he exited, he saw Bobby leaning on the wall across.

"I hear you need a lift," Bobby said, sounding a little nervous.

Gambit stopped and looked at him for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, that would be good. Thanks."

"Okay, cool," Bobby replied, looking a little less nervous. "Well, I'm free for the rest of the day, so we can go whenever you're ready."

"How about now?" Gambit said. "I got nothing to do that's more important than this."

"Alright—"

"I'll meet you in the garage," Gambit said and smiled ruefully. "I should probably change and stuff first."

Bobby chuckled. "Alright. See you there."

About ten or so minutes later, Gambit arrived in the garage (he'd only changed his clothes and brushed his hair). He was perfectly capable of driving himself, but preferred to avoid the stress of driving while his powers were misbehaving. The last time he drove, the frustration of incompetent drivers had resulted in him charging up his own motorcycle while going 60 miles an hour.

"Thanks for the lift," Gambit said as he got into the front passenger seat.

"No problem," Bobby replied, who was already in the driver's seat. "Least I could do."

Gambit paused. "Okay, if we're going to have a discussion about yesterday, I suggest we do it now, before you start driving."

"Heh, I… No, not really. I'm just sorry, and want to make it up to you," Bobby said.

Gambit grunted. "Well, I appreciate that." He paused for a moment, and grinned. "And under normal circumstances, I would've laughed about it."

Bobby grinned back. "In normal circumstances, I don't think there would've been an opportunity."

"Are you sure about that?" Gambit asked, then hit the dashboard. "Alright, lets get this show on the road."

They took off. In due course they ended up at the shop and went inside. Bobby followed Gambit around as he picked out the things he needed.

Gambit stopped in front of a set of bolts, considered for a time, then said to Bobby: "You're Rogue's boyfriend, which colour do you think she'd like? That one or that one?"

"Oh um," Bobby looked at the fabric. "Well, My guess is that one. But then, she broke up with me yesterday, so I'm probably wrong, and she'd probably prefer the other one."

Gambit looked at Bobby, the picture of despondent.

"You broke up?" Gambit asked, and Bobby nodded. "Because of what happened?"

Bobby nodded again. "She said it's proof that I don't respect anyone."

"Huh." Gambit looked back at the fabric and decided to make his decision independent of Bobby's recommendation. "Do you think she's right?"

"No! I do respect people," Bobby said. "Okay, sometimes, like yesterday, I don't always think things through, but y'know, that just makes me a screw up not disrespectful."

"Hmm. So let's think things through now," Gambit said, his eyes on the fabric still. "Why would Rogue believe you're disrespectful?"

"I don't know!"

Gambit sensed this was going to be like pulling teeth. "Alright, why did Rogue take the Cure? Why do you believe that she did?"

Bobby sighed, his eyes closed as if in pain. "Because that's what she thought she needed to do to stop me from leaving her." Gambit blinked and started to reply, only for Bobby to continue as if a dam had burst open. "I know she was getting upset about Kitty and I being close, and I never wanted to put any pressure on her, but I guess I must have 'cause she got the Cure so we could touch and…" he scrunched up his face and rubbed it. "I am a horrible controlling boyfriend and she's better off without me."

"Wow," Gambit said, giving Bobby an incredulous look. "Did you tell Rogue any of this?"

"No. How could I?"

"You should have. Might have saved your relationship," Gambit said, and when Bobby looked at him puzzled, went on: "Rogue never thought you were going to leave her for Kitty. But it was hard for her, seeing you able to get physically close to other people, and not being able to do so herself, with you, or with anyone."

"She told you that, huh?" Bobby asked forlornly.

"We talked about all sorts of stuff while we were in line for the Cure, and since," Gambit replied, picked out a bolt, and began moving on to the next selection. "Rogue got the Cure 'cause she hated her mutation. She wanted to touch people in general, not just you."

"I know, I know—"

"But instead of taking her at her word, you've convinced yourself that it's about you, and what you think Rogue thought you wanted," Gambit cut in disgustedly. "And you wonder why Rogue accused you of being disrespectful."

Gambit stopped in front of another selection of bolts and began to inspect them.

"I'm lost…" Bobby said slowly.

"Rogue told you repeatedly why she got the Cure," Gambit said. "You chose not to believe her."

"I…"

"You decided her decision was about you. Heck, if I recall correctly, your first words to Rogue when she got back were 'This isn't want I wanted'," he said. "You're not a controlling boyfriend, Bobby. You're a self-centred, disrespectful, pushover of a boyfriend. Just how many times has my flirting with Rogue made you uncomfortable?"

Bobby scowled. "A lot."

"And have you said anything to Rogue about it?"

"Well, no."

"Why not?"

"I didn't want her to think I was telling her she couldn't be friends with you."

Gambit groaned. "Now why would she think that? Unless you were planning on phrasing it 'I don't want you hanging out with Remy anymore', that is."

"No! But somehow she got it in her head that I wanted her to take the Cure, when I never said that and—"

"She did not!" Gambit snapped at him. "See? This is why Rogue calls you disrespectful: because you refuse to acknowledge that she's capable of making a decision that will effect the rest of her life in ways you can't even imagine, based on what is right for her, and her alone."

Bobby stared at him.

"You were not the one putting people into comas. You were not the one having to live with a growing number of voices in your head." Gambit looked at him sadly. "You probably think that Rogue taking the Cure was like choosing to cut off an arm, and maybe in a way it was." Gambit had felt that way about taking the Cure for his own mutation. "But sometimes arms need to be amputated. People tend to live happier, healthier lives when they're not infected with gangrene."

Bobby frowned but remained silent. Gambit continued with his shopping and neither man said another word to each other until it was time to go.

Rogue walked into her bedroom to find Gambit there, busy patching up the hole he'd created in their wall. He'd pulled her bed away from the wall while he worked, and the vacuum was sitting nearby.

"Hey," she said.

Gambit glanced over. "Oh, hey. I'd hoped to get this done before you got back."

"And you failed," Rogue replied teasingly.

"Heh, yeah, so I did. Almost done though."

She nodded and sat down on the bed to watch while he finished up. "So, what's this project of yours I keep hearing about? You know, to stop me from getting hit in the head with drywall?"

"Oh, um," he pulled back to point and gesture as he explained. "I'm going to hang up some full length curtains. They'll be floor to ceiling and run the full width of the wall. Well, sorta, they're going to be done in sections about two feet wide. That way they can be replaced easily if I end up blowing a hole in them too."

"Curtains, huh?" Rogue frowned as she tried to picture how that was going to work.

"Yeah, three layers of them. Though the outer layer—the one you'll see the most of—is mostly intended for decoration," he said with a grin. "Can't have your room looking untidy, can we?"

Rogue looked around her very 'lived in' room, then back at him with a raised eyebrow. "No, we can't have that. Not at all."

He chuckled. "The layers'll be about two inches apart at the top, but they'll all come together and be anchored at the bottom. That way, if I blow something up, the curtains will catch it, and the pieces and dust and whatever will just slide to the floor where it can be easily cleaned up. Honestly? Probably one layer is all we really need, but I'm feeling paranoid."

Rogue nodded. "I appreciate your concern."

Gambit continued to work in silence for a time. Finally he set his things aside and started wiping off his hands with a nearby rag.

"So," he said quietly. "Bobby told me you broke up with him yesterday."

Rogue caught his eyes for a moment, nodded and looked at the newly patched wall. "Yeah."

"You okay?"

"I'm… Yeah, I'm okay," she said slowly. "I don't know. I feel weird. I thought it would be harder, but right now I just feel relieved. I'm not sure what to make of that."

Gambit shrugged. "Maybe a part of you knew the break up was inevitable."

"Maybe."

"Hmm. Well, I'd offer to take you out on a rebound date, but," Gambit gestured to the wall with a self-depreciating grin, "I don't think that would be a good idea."

Rogue laughed. "Just as well, I wouldn't accept. Not right now, anyway. I think I just need some time before I start dating again. We were together for well over a year."

Gambit nodded. "Yeah, sounds wise."

He put the rag down with his things and began packing up. "I'll do the painting tomorrow. You know, so you don't get high on the paint fumes tonight while you're trying to sleep."

"Maybe I'm into that," Rogue said jokingly.

Gambit laughed as he straightened up. He smiled at her, then the smile faded.

"You know, Bobby was telling me he thought he was a controlling boyfriend."

Rogue stared at Gambit for a moment, then snorted with laughter. "You're kidding me?"

"Not at all."

"He seriously said that?"

"He did. I think it's been making him miserable this whole time."

"Good. He's been making me miserable." Rogue shook her head. "He actually believes he was a controlling boyfriend?"

Gambit nodded. "Yep."

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard all day. All week. In months."

"Do you think we should've told him that I'm either immune or highly resistant to your powers?" he asked. "Maybe, if he knew it was possible for you to have your powers and touch someone…"

"I'd like to think he'd have the good sense to realise I wouldn't runaway with some guy I just met," Rogue said. "Although apparently he thinks he's a controlling boyfriend, so maybe he wouldn't have."

He smirked at her, and for a moment thought about kissing her. But he pushed the thought away before he could act on it (and blow something up), and cleared his throat.

"I should get going. I'll see you later."

"See ya. And thanks."

"You're always welcome."

Bobby headed into the change room with the other guys after their Danger Room session. He showered, and then pulled out his clothes to change. To his confusion, instead of the normal, casual clothing he expected, he pulled out a cowboy costume of all things.

In amongst the clothes was a note written in Gambit's hand:

And you said there wouldn't be an opportunity for this prank under normal circumstances

Bobby laughed.