"Cause, chére, Gambit will teach y' how t' control y' powers."
Rogue was speechless. All of her life, people offered some help although it was more like dependable. It depended on her and she kept failing each and every time, this time however, this swamp snake was actually going to give her what she wanted.
Of course, she wasn't expecting him to be just like Abracadabra and magically make her control her mutation, but he said he would teach her –not help her.
For someone like Rogue, the difference between these two words meant the world.
"How?" That was all she could let out, she truly lost her voice due to it being a very sensitive topic for her. She knew better than to get her hopes up and smash it like a bug on the floor.
A soft smile appeared on his face, letting himself be in a comfortable position next to her stiff body on the dual bed. "I wasn't lyin' earlier," he began, eyes looking dead serious. "I had t' deal with my powers alone, I've hurt people jus' like y' and ended up gainin' control over 'em."
Rogue had to let that sink in. Just a day before, she was on the road looking for her friend or more like hoping to catch some news about him anyway. She met a handsome stranger at the bar, stitched him up after saving his ass and had been kidnapped by that very same man. All of that had made her feel like some stupid girl and now was the universe finally paying her back? If that had been the point, then why did she feel like she was playing with the devil?
"But people have tried," she mumbled, blinking heavily as her voice sounded weary from the topic. "How are ya gonna succeed?"
With another devilish grin, he reached out towards her and put a gloved finger on her chin, stunning her altogether again and lifting her face up to meet his eyes. "Gambit's not afraid t' touch y', p'tite," he said carefully. "And it's the touchin' that will help y'."
That handsome swamp boy from the bayou had a talent for stunning her, as if it had become a habit and she was feeling vulnerable whenever that happened. She hated feeling like that, she had promised herself not to feel like that ever again since the Ellis Island.
But here he was, staring at her soul with his bright red irises and a mischievous smirk on his lips and she was too stunned to speak once again. Rogue had been the type to hold herself back for her entire life, she had learned to keep things under control –keep her feelings under control. But something about the Louisiana man was breaking her strong walls down and she didn't feel safe about it.
She was too torn to feel vulnerable. Like a porcelain vase that had been broken and put together with a glue several times before, it was on display for guests to see but not to touch. She knew that if she was touched, like that broken vase, she would shatter into broken pieces.
But touch was all she ever wanted. Would she still do it if it meant being on the bad side?
Her emerald eyes were blank with confusion, his gloved index finger still on her chin urging to keep her gaze on himself. She was having second thoughts and he had sensed it, he had to distract her from these disturbing thoughts before she could turn him down. He would still keep her under his watch as his captive and force her to work on her magic for him, but there was no need to put things into that direction. She would be much of better use if she would be his partner in crime –willingly.
"Touch me," he said, his eyes piercing through hers and in a voice so gentle and so smooth that she almost closed her eyes in bewilderment. Removing his finger from her chin, he resisted the urge to sigh at her hesitancy, even in a position like this, she was all protected and in control. He needed a way to break her walls, make her trust him if they were to work together. Alright, maybe trust was overrated –but he needed to know that she was down with the plan. If things would go in his direction, this whole thing was going to be a piece of cake.
Rogue bit her bottom lip softly, still feeling hesitant. She didn't want to hurt the man just because he was willing to help, it was like her danger room sessions all over again. But also, she wanted to look into his mind to know if she could trust him, especially if he was asking her to join him in some kind of a heist.
And the fact that her hand was chained kept reminding her that she was a captive and she needed to get out of that situation right away.
Taking a deep breath, she removed the glove on her left hand and reached out for his face, stunning both him and herself momentarily before her fingertips brushed his cheek. There was a tingly feeling, almost like static electric waves and the pull of her mutation came in like a shock wave within less than ten seconds. His eyes widened and he held his breath, gasping for a moment before she pulled her hand away.
"Ah'm sorry," she began, feeling the panic building up in her veins when his head dropped to the pillow next to hers, eyes closed. "It was a stupid idea," she mumbled, blinking rapidly. "What was Ah thinkin'? Are you okay?"
Surgery, blood red eyes, pain.
Closing her eyes shut, she sucked in her breath and concentrated at the thought. An agreement, feeling desperate, hands in bandages. She almost feel like suffocating, at first she thought it was one of Logan's. But that would make no sense, of course. It was a cold, lonely and painful memory to hold onto. She kind of made a habit on picking those up on purpose.
"Is that what you really want, child?"
"Oui."
"That can be done," the man said with an eerie smirk. "But for a price."
A short hesitancy. "D'accord."
Rogue whimpered at the sudden chill, she wanted to erase the man's blood red eyes and porcelain like pale skin from her mind. She wanted to forget his whole image, his cold and apathetic voice. She would never guess in her life that she would agree with Sabretooth on something, Mr. Sinister was nothing but terrifying.
Sinister? That was new, she would normally call him Essex, but Gambit had a different opinion.
"Gambit has lots of wild memories, chére," he said, snapping her attention back, his posture turned towards her. "He's wonderin' what got y' so hooked up."
She blinked, how the hell was he up and sound? That was twice in less than twenty four hours and each time he was dazzled like nobody else. The first time she did hold her mutation longer and he did pass out, yes, but he woke up a little after. And now, he didn't even black out just felt the need to lay down. That was something she didn't see at the institute.
"Ibiza?" he tried with a grin, eyes shining playfully at her confusion. "Amsterdam? Maybe, Rio? Oh, that had to be Rio."
"It was neither," she shook her head, apparently not sharing his enthusiasm. "Nothing fun about it."
It was his turn to sulk in, he didn't know how she got those memories out of him or in what order, but he didn't want to burden someone so young and so naïve to be overwhelmed by his problematic experiences. "Je suis desolé," he said, sighing heavily. "I tried t' think of fun ones, but I guess it didn't work."
Rogue was stunned, he had really made a habit of that. "Ah stole your memory," she said in disbelief. "And you're sorry?"
"They're mine," He gave her a shrug, but there was a painful look in his eyes. "Y' don't have t' go through 'em, p'tite," he said empathically. What he had gone through, the losses he had to endure and the traumas he had to face was his own challenge in this lifetime. He had no right to make another one walk in the same path as he did.
"For what it's worth," she said, wearing her glove again. "Ah'm sorry, these are your private memories, your past. Ah have no right to see them, not to mention Ah hurt ya durin' that, that's why we can't."
He felt her alarming demeanor, she was panicking rightfully so. But it was one simple touch, less than ten seconds and she was already beginning to flee. Gambit took a mental note on not intimidate her, although she was a delightful combination of both introvert and extrovert personality, at certain moments she would just shut herself and flee away. And Gambit did not want that.
"Rogue," he said, the word he chose to call her got her attention. "It was jus' a lil' sting," he sat up, staring at her green eyes and opening his arms at both of his sides to show her that he was okay. "I can handle the pain, chére."
She almost laughed bitterly at his delusional comment. "Ah'm beginnin' to think you're a masochist."
"Mais p'tite, pain often gives pleasure, and vice versa," he shrugged recklessly, a playful grin reappearing on his lips. "Don't like t' label myself as one, depends on the situation and the person, of course" he gave her a statement as a matter of fact.
"Okay," she gave him a confused look. "Say you like the pain, but what about the memories? Are you really comfortable with sharin' 'em with me? 'Cause let me tell ya, Ah wouldn't be."
He decided to be honest about that. "Eh, didn't like that," he said, giving her a little nod. "But y' already seen much about me, it'll only be a few tries then we will find a way t' pick up the good memories, hein?"
Rogue sighed, but a huge part of her was on her feet giving him an applause for his stand out persistency. This plan of his really had to be something special and she really had to be the key factor, because despite his choice to say he didn't like, she knew for a fact that he hated that she knew about his past bits and pieces.
"Let's assume Ah said yes," she began talking, playing with the tips of her gloves. "What will Ah do?"
A huge grin appeared on his handsome face, his crimson eyes burning brighter with excitement. She was literally the lead actress in his heist movie and he felt like he got her under his spell eventually. Gambit, with all seriousness, shifted into a more comfortable position and stretched his arms behind his back. "The ring y' mentioned," he began. "Emma Frost will be exhibiting that at her lil' club, safety measures will be at the highest level, the top security guards in the country will be guarding it behind high level tempered glass cube," he stated, describing the glass cube with his hands as if it was in front of him. "Essex wants the ring, our job is t' deliver it, but that is the next part. First, we need to acquire the ring and have it in our possession, then we'll make an arrangement."
"So," Rogue let all that information sink in and took a deep breath. "You want me to do somethin' for him."
He studied her face for a moment. For all he knew, she could be an agent playing a naïve mutant or she could be someone directly sent from underground organizations to also gather the ring. But it was more likely that she could really be who she said she was –a girl at the institute who was trying to find her own path in this world. That could really explain the whole moral issues he was having with her. "Hm," he narrowed his eyes at the sudden awareness. "Y' really from Xavier's, who would've thought."
Despite his beautiful and charming face, she resisted the urge to punch him in the face. Maybe that was her inner Logan, but that thick skulled swamp rat had some major trust issues. She had told him more than a couple times that she wasn't an enemy but from the institute itself, yet he didn't believe it and called it too good to be a coincidence.
She must have put that very same emotion onto her face, because he laughed at that. "Don't be like that, chére," he said, giving her a pout. "Y' know Gambit needs t' be cautious."
"But Ah told ya!" she threw her hands in the air in despair and made a face when her cuffed hand hurt a little by the action. "Y' have issues and y' don't listen."
"Oui," he nodded. "I accept the criticism, we will work on that."
Rogue gasped. "We?"
He gave her a devilish grin, the look in his eyes was proud. "I assumed y' were down with it."
"Hold your horses, Cajun," she narrowed her eyes at him. "Ah didn't agree on anythin'. Sure the teachin' thing is temptin' but working for a piece of shit is kinda disturbin' and you know it."
"Let me tell y' what," he cut in, giving her some points. "We gather the ring first, then we decide on what t' do with it, hein?" he offered, earning a puzzled look from her. "If the ring's somethin' he wants so desperately, don't y' wanna know what it does?"
"Ah know what it does," she put her chin up, having a proud moment. "It does remove a mutant's powers when one wears it, that's what Victor knows, anyway."
He seized the information carefully, whether she intended to say it or it slipped accidentally, she gave him something good to think about it. So, Essex wanted a ring that could block someone's powers, but why? He was the type to accelerate one's powers –or better yet, have a surgery on them to see their full potentials. There were also power inhibitors actually being used at government facilities, why on earth was the ring any different than the inhibitor?
"Interestin'," he looked thoughtful. "Better the question, don't y' wanna get it first?"
"You won't give it to Sinister?"
Sinister.
How the fuck did she know that? He couldn't help but be amazed at the fact that she was fucking marvelous. He looked into her eyes, burning brightly like the rarest emeralds. She had so much power that she didn't even know it herself.
"Ah'm sorry," she began, once again, playing with her fingertips. "Ah didn't mean to, just saw the name in your thoughts."
And she was actually feeling sorry for this epic power. How strange it was to meet someone of moral, a rarest gem in a bunch of replicas, indeed.
"Don't be," he offered her a reassuring smile. "I told y' we'll work on that. I promise t' teach y' how t' control y' powers if y' help me get the ring," he said, standing up to open the window. "And I promise t' have a second arrangement with the plan once we get t' ring, to either give it t' him or Dieu help me, do somethin' else."
Rogue bit her bottom lip, having her second thoughts and everything else with herself. She was playing with the devil and she knew it, he was a charmer and he could probably convince her to do many things with him if he wanted. But she needed to fixate her thoughts on her wants and her morals, which was the main problem with her thoughts. She had left her family behind, yes. She no longer described herself as one of them, simply because she wasn't. Xavier and people at the institute would definitely be horrified if they knew about her little thieving club. But also, Xavier and the people were long gone. Sure, Bobby would be horrified, along with Kitty and they would both shame her, because why not? And there was also Jubilee, whom she loved dearly, but she would maybe understand it if she knew why. And Storm, that was the hardest of all. Storm would never understand her reasons, she was such a good person and always doing the right thing… She could actually imagine the hurt in her friend's bluest eyes, if she had ever known.
But on the other hand, it wasn't like she was murdering someone. It was just a ring, it would be like burst in and get the ring and run away, right?
The thing that bothered her was all about Essex or Sinister, or whatever his name was. She would hate to do something that would end up being in his benefit.
On another thought, maybe she could prevent that.
Yeah, Logan would have approved this. Get the ring and get in the way of it being delivered to that monster. Also, it wasn't like she had any other plans on the way. She had left the mansion to discover herself, what a better way to go on an adventure and work on her powers in the meanwhile? That was like winning the lottery if she had to think about it.
Gambit was watching her with great interest, studying her every movement and every single thought of emotion appearing on her face. She was having some conflicts within herself, as if the angels on her shoulders were debating with each other, trying to force some sense into her. He had really wished the devilish one on her right shoulder won her over.
He grabbed a cigarette from his grey metallic case and lit it, inhaling the smoke slowly. He didn't want to think about how Sinister found him or how he managed to do that far from Seattle. Gambit wasn't a fool, he knew his debt for the fucking psychopath was never going to come to an end, but if there was a way he could avoid him, he would do it all for his live until he would fed up someday.
And he thought he was managing that successfully, until yesterday.
"Those things will kill ya," she snorted behind him, catching his attention from his cloudy thoughts. "Not to mention the smell's horrible."
He flashed her a mischievous grin. "Didn't think y' cared for this Cajun, chére."
"Ah don't," she blushed, looking away as she crossed her arms. "Just sayin'."
"Gambit appreciates y' concern, p'tite," he offered another smile before taking another long drag. "But he heals faster than others, good energy levels, I guess."
Oh, now that explained everything.
That was the reason he was awake barely after she had touched him several times, whereas everyone she knew would end up at the infirmary, checking for concussions and brain scanning. His body was producing more energy than others. Although for the healing factor, she could say he was no match for Logan, but he still healed fast based on the thought he was awake from her comatose.
She wanted to see the scar that Creed gave him yesterday, to see how much better it was now. Was he biologically good healer too? Rogue couldn't help but offer a bitter laugh, although it was meant as an ironic one. "You have lots of energy, I absorb energy, how ironic is it?"
"Ironic?" he raised an eyebrow, shaking his head playfully. "I told y' yesterday, chére, it must be fate."
"Must be," she couldn't help but smile softly at his stubbornness, but she managed to roll her eyes at him anyway. She knew he didn't mean it like some kind of a fairytale, but it was still cheesy, yet it felt good to be… what was she feeling? Appreciated? Wanted? Cared?
"That means y' in?" he studied her face carefully, although still playful.
She gave him a long sigh and nodded her head approvingly. "But on the condition that you will teach me how to control my powers," she gave him a knowing look. "And we will talk about it again once we get the ring, alright?"
He flashed her a million dollar smile, literally, it was the brightest she had ever seen coming from him. She hoped she wouldn't regret her decision in the future as she couldn't get past the uneasy feeling in her gut.
Gambit walked over towards the bed and stood next to her, masterfully removing the chain out from her wrist. She rubbed the spot softly, it didn't hurt but she was relieved to be free once again. Before she could stand up, he leaned towards her, making her speechless more than the third time in a single day. His face was merely inches away from hers when he licked his lips and stared into her green eyes. "I accept t' terms," he said, in all seriousness as he lifted his hand up, offering her for a handshake which she took hesitantly. "Hope I can trust y', p'tite."
She gulped slowly before managing to narrow her eyes at him. "Likewise, swamp rat."
He offered her a smirk and left her safe zone, he went back to his chair and grabbed his phone, texting somethings again. It was then she remembered she wasn't a captive anymore. "Hey," she frowned. "Can Ah have my stuff back?"
"About that," he made an oops sound and avoided looking at her, his eyes on the phone. "I had to leave them at the dumpster."
"You did what?"
He rolled his eyes faintly. "It wasn't like y' had million dollars with y', chére, just some cash and bus tickets."
"And my phone."
"We'll get y' another one."
"But," she began, her frown got bigger. "But, why?"
Gambit sighed and put his phone aside. He leaned back and studied her for a moment before going on a full speech about thieving. "Conning 101, never use y' phone more than a few days. Always use disposable ones and leave no marks behind."
"But how about my friends-"
"Y' don't need 'em right now."
Her eyes widened at the thought. Did she not need them? On that thought, of course she did not. She wouldn't leave if she had not thought she was better off alone, but still, having them just one phone call away was a comfort she didn't want to let go of.
Still, she nodded with a sigh. She knew she wouldn't call them even if that swamp snake hadn't gotten rid of her stuff, she was too proud to do that. She always imagined she would come back after a year or two, to check on her friends. Not just right away –not to mention, she could always go back to them if she wanted, after this plan with the Cajun was over.
Gambit got up and grabbed his bag, taking a mini iPad out of it, he gestured her to move aside and let himself in a comfortable position next to her on the dual bed. With a swipe, he typed some password and clicked on the photo of some people on the red carpet. "This is Emma Frost," he began, showing her the picture. The woman was blonde and beautiful, she looked not older than thirty five and she had a stunning body, wearing a revealing white body con dress. "Next to her is Sebastian Shaw, they're working together at the Hellfire Club."
Rogue took a moment for the information to sink in, she recalled that the name for the club was mentioned earlier. "Shaw's a rich homme," he informed, sharing his knowledge on the targets. "So is Frost, they both have different corporations in many fields, Shaw Industries and Frost International. Shaw's company is also workin' with the government on the Sentinel project, he plays on both teams t' win 'em both."
"They both look like that type of people," she nodded, observing the picture and two elites. "Are they together?"
"Don't think so," he gave it a thought. "Emma Frost's not the type t' settle down, believe me. But they might have somethin' goin' on openly, who knows."
The way he said that made her question the relationship between him and this Frost, it was a high possibility that they may have hooked up before. Everything about Gambit was radiating one night stands and if Frost wasn't the type for commitments, they were kind of a perfect match for Tinder dates. She didn't know why, but this whole thing made her uncomfortable.
"Shaw's the leader of the Inner Circle, they work together t' gather the most exquisite and elite people in the world t' join their VIP club," he explained, his gloved finger on the screen. "Frost's the master mind, she's someone y' shouldn't be underestimatin'. She's a telepath, a strong one t' be fair."
"Great," she rolled her eyes, if there was something she hated more than her mutation, it was the telepathy. She hated when people tried to look into her own thoughts, what an irony.
"Don't worry, chére," he smiled proudly. "Gambit's told t' have some psychic barrier here," he said, a finger on his temple. "That means Frost can't tiptoe inside his head easily."
Rogue frowned and gave him a sigh. "But Ah don't," she bit her bottom lip, disliking the idea that she might mess up the plan from the beginning.
"That's why I'll be dealin' with her."
"What will Ah do?"
"Ah, patience, mon p'tite," he offered her a mischievous smile. "Y' need t' understand a few things before knowin' y' part," he added, swiping to the next picture. She swore that she had seen the building somewhere in some magazine before, but it looked expensive. A Victorian architecture with a magnificent garden, a large pool and rarest plants as a decoration. She almost gave it a whistle in bewilderment. "This is the headquarters, the ring will be here next Friday."
She gave him a little nod as he continued. "It'll be an easy get in an' out. Gambit will tell y' rest o' the details step by step, y' jus' need t' know y' mutation is our secret weapon and is the reason we'll succeed," he said, with a reassuring smile though it was barely visible.
"Ain't we forgettin' the most important part here, Cajun?" Rogue folded her arms. "Ah don't have control, you can't depend on my powers just yet."
"That's why, mon p'tite agent, our first mission is t' teach y' that."
"You just can't teach me that in five days!"
Gambit flashed her a grin, one that meant to be playful but she could sense the seriousness behind it. "Oh, chére," he shook his head. "Y' underestimate me," he added, leaving her stunned once more. She couldn't tell if his bravery was stupid or chivalrous, but she accepted the help with another sigh. He stood up, folded the case of the iPad and put it in his brown leather bag. He looked at his watch and mumbled some French words and grabbed a black shirt from the bag. Slowly taking his shirt off, he revealed his muscular abdomen, he was rather tanned and it was sure as hell that he worked out, like a lot. Sure everyone back at the institue spent some time at the faculty gym and the danger sessions were pain in the ass, but he was putting some effort in it and it was just showing off.
She knew better than to stare, but she couldn't help herself. For a woman who barely touched another soul in her life, she could look, couldn't she? She realized she wasn't even hiding the fact that she was staring and that's when she realized the arrogant smirk playing on his lips.
"If y' wanna begin the lessons by touchin' here, chére," he said huskily, in a playful tone as he opened his arms at his side a little, showing off his muscular body. "All y' have t' do is ask."
She opened her mouth, she chose to snort as no words came out. He was right and she was staring, but she still didn't want to be confronted by that. He was gorgeous, even the nuns at the manastry would stare at his slow striptease. Not to mention, his defined six packs was still visible under the thin bandage.
Oh, the wound.
"For your information," she folded her arms again, looking annoyed as the lie slipped from her pouty lips easily. "Ah was checking the wound."
He gave her another grin, apparently amused by her words. "Can't see nothin' from there," he suggested, taking a step forward with the black shirt in his hand. "Y' kinda have t' feel the wound, don't y'?"
"Ah swear to god," she rolled her arms, lifting her hand to stop himself from getting any closer. "You have a death wish, Cajun, just sayin'."
"But it's itchin'."
"Good," she gave him an exasperated sigh, uninterested. "Means it's healin'."
"Chére," he looked offended and kind of upset. "What kinda cruel nurse are y?"
"Ah'm not."
A shocked frown appeared on his face and she actually gave him an evil laugh at his confusion. "Y' stitched me as an amateur?" his volume rose when he got to the last words and she suppressed another laugh.
"Swamp rat," she began, biting her bottom lip in order not to laugh. "Ah never told ya Ah was a pro, you needed help and Ah did."
"Mais, I assumed-"
"You assumed," she shook her head, a grin on her full lips. "And y' are still alive, don't be a baby."
He shot her an annoyed look, a frown on his face before he muttered something under his breath and wore his shirt. Going through his phone again, he typed something back to someone and shove it in his pocket. He grabbed his leather trench coat and looked at her. "Y' must be hungry," he said as a matter of fact. "Let's grab somethin'."
Rogue gave him a nod and went to bathroom to check on herself. She suppressed an annoyed groan when she saw her reflection in the mirror. She was a mess, like some homeless person who had been on the streets more than a week. Her mascara was running a little, she fixed that with her bare fingers after removing the gloves and fixed her dirty hair in a messy bun, her white streaks framing her face. Her black turtleneck literally had a tiny whole on it, that fucking Cajun must've did that while attacking her the night before. But at least, her leather jeans was okay. Taking a deep breath, she washed her hands and framed her eyebrows a little with a little wetness. She wished she still had her bag, recalling she had a lipstick somewhere in her purse. But it was all she could do now, that had to be it.
He was nice enough to bring her leather jacket in his bag, he handed it once she was back in the room. He gave her a nod of appreciation with her fixed up look and offered his arm. "Princess," he smiled playfully, stepping aside to let her pass through the door first.
"Ah'm no princess," she rolled her eyes and shove him a little playfully. She wasn't annoyed, not really, but it was still cheesy since he was no prince charming, after all. "But you may be a scoundrel."
He gave her a genuinely amused laugh, shaking his head as she passed by.
Oh, she had no idea.