7 January

"Climbing the Roof"

"I hope everyone has their homework done," Kurt snickered over lunch. A couple kids, one of which being Bobby, exchanged glances with the demonic mutant. "What? I'm giving you a heads up. School starts up again in two days."

"You don' even go t' school, homme," Remy muttered.

"Neither do you," Kurt shot back.

"You don't go ta school?" Rogue asked, surprised. Her gaze lingered on the undecipherable look on Remy's face.

"Nope. Wit' eyes like dis an' da way people so freaked out 'bout what dey don't know, me, Kurt an' Warren don' go," Remy explained. A grin finally began to crack his visage.

"Like we have it that easy," Kurt muttered more darkly.

"It's better than dealing with people oggling at my wings," Warren cut in.

"You think you have it bad?" Elizabeth questioned. "Sometimes I can't close out the little perverts' thoughts. You want those things running through your head?"

Remy bent his head forward, covering his mouth with a hand. "I deal wit' it."

"That is something we don't need to know, Gambit," Jean cut in.

"C'mon, admit it. You di'n't not expect it, mes amis." No one answered. "Someone had t' say it."

"No," Scott disagreed. A few snickers sounded around the room, including one from Rogue.

"Those thoughts are best kept to yourself, Remy," Storm agreed.

"Stormy?" Remy cried out in mock disbelief. "You're sidin' agains' me?"

"Yes. Stop calling me that." The slightly bored tone to the girl's voice suggested that the subtle argument was an ongoing battle that began long ago.

Remy stood up and shoved the rest of his sandwich into his mouth. Mumbling around the food, he announced, "Den I leave you t' yer non-perverted t'oughts, 'ey?" Waving quickly, but allowing his gaze to linger on Rogue for an extra moment, he left.

"I don't know how you deal with him, Rogue," Alison pointed out once she figured he was out of earshot. "Sure, he can act all charming when he wants to, but otherwise he's ... Remy. He's definitely messed up. Well, a little," she quickly amended as soon as she caught sight of Rogue's irritated looks.

"His heart is in the right place," Ororo backed him up.

"Ah didn't think he was that bad," Rogue shrugged.

No one answered Rogue. No one really knew how to explain the slightly odd mutant. Instead of continuing an old conversation, Piotr spoke up for the first time and restarted what Kurt began: "Anyone have art next semester?"

"Ah don't think Ah'm hungry anymore." Rogue took her plate to the sink and went to leave the room.

"Would you mind some company?" Ororo asked. She positioned herself just so to prevent Rogue from leaving the room without noticing her. "I've been a subject of his antics much longer than anyone here. I'll lend an ear for you."

"Sure," Rogue allowed. "Ah don't got much t'say."

"That is quite alright, child." She stayed silent as they made their slow way down the hallway. "I usually tend to my garden when I need to gather my thoughts. My plants need me, but I love them back." Rogue tried to keep from shooting Ororo a skeptical look, but she thought that Ororo caught on nonetheless. "We all have ways of gathering our thoughts without stepping on each others toes. Peter paints, Alison sings, but Remy normally withdraws from everyone."

"Why are ya tellin' me this?" Rogue wondered. She caught Storm's eyes, holding her gaze to search for the truth.

"I've noticed over the last week how quickly you two have grown together. I ... was trying to help you out before he unintentionally hurts you or you hurt him."

"Alright. So you made him made just then?"

Ororo shook her head. "No. Given the choice, he'd leave the campus completely and come back a few days later. Confined as he is, he normally climbs on top of the roof to clear his head. I sometimes accompany him."

"What? You want me t'climb the roof?" Rogue's pitch rose with incomprehension.

"I'm not saying that. Just understand that however you cope with sorting your head out, know I'll be there for you, wherever you go." Ororo lightly placed her hands on Rogue's shoulders. "With school coming up and new relationships to forge, even the strongest need help."

Rogue didn't know what to say. "Uh, thanks, 'Ro."