AN: Hi everyone, I know I have yet to post in a while but I am going to try and post a little more frequently as summer approaches! I hope you enjoy- AngelCake
6
He spotted her at once, she was the most beautiful person in the room lighting up the entire restaurant. Her dress was simple yet elegant. Her makeup was kept to a minimum but seemed to highlight her face along with the two white streaks in her hair. She looked starstruck in the restaurant her eyes analyzing every intricate detail, those eyes that he could get lost in. He thought she was adorable with a sense of innocence he had lost long ago. Suddenly his breath hitched and he swore his heartbeat stopped when she made direct eye contact. He felt her eyes yet again pierce through his soul as she lit up with a stunning smile. She looked so genuinely happy that he couldn't contain his own.
"Mon dieu" He whispered under his breath.
"Gambit this place is stunning!" Rogue said as she sat down.
"Pas aussi beau que toi" Gambit quickly said before she had heard him.
He caught himself staring at her while she, again, looked around with awe at the restaurant.
"Chérie are you gunna keep looking at the restaurant or are you gunna look at me?" Gambit asked with a smirky grin.
Rogue blushed as she turned her attention towards that cajun, " Oh hush cajun I still can't believe how nice this place is, it's like it popped out of a movie or sumthing!"
"Doesn't even compare to you chérie" He said again, this time in English.
Rogue's face flushed to a deeper shade of red and he couldn't help but laugh. For some reason, he loved making her blush. A waiter approached the two pouring red wine into their glasses and passing them two menus.
"So, did you get my roses petite chat?" He asked.
"Yes, ah did along with a very scared receptionist" She responded with a small giggle.
"Well that man better have been scared, treating customers like he did with you. Must have been terrified that his job was on the line or something." He said with faint annoyance, remembering the nerve of that guy.
Rogue's eyes widened as she realized he had in fact been the seedy man in the corner of the hotel when she first dealt with the snobby receptionist.
"That was you?!" She asked, shocked.
"Oui petite, que suis moi." Gambit replied with a wicked grin.
"Oh mah goodness, he looked terrified! What did you do that poor man!" She exclaimed.
"Nothing much mon bijou, just told him he better not do dat again or else," He said with a cheeky smile.
Rogue rolled her eyes but decided not to question him further. The waiter came back and took both of their orders, once he left he could see the excitement in her eyes at the awaiting food.
"So coeur, what brought you to New Orleans?" He asked, but suddenly noticed her discomfort at the question and was about to tell her she didn't have to say until she answered.
"Ah was sent to meet someone, but ah guess ah'm also trying to escape from everything," She said to him, averting her gaze out the window at the brightly coloured streets.
He suddenly felt waves of sadness emitting from her, usually he could keep his *empathic power under control but the surge of emotions that came from her shocked him.
What has happened to this femme? He wondered.
Suddenly noticing his stares, she snapped back masking her emotions with a small smile, but he could still feel the concealed sadness hidden underneath her facade.
"My turn," she said with a playful look.
"For what?" Gambit asked.
"To ask a question," Rogue replied, not waiting for a response, "Why are you always wearing sunglasses everywhere you go?" She questioned.
"Well mon trésor, dat is a secret I don't think I can tell you yet" He responded playfully.
"Well that ain't fair, ah answered your question!" Rogue said annoyed.
"Désolé petite, maybe next time though," He said with amusement.
Rogue was about to respond, but she was interrupted by the arrival of the food. She had ordered a delicious seafood paella while Gambit had ordered a steak, medium rare of course. She eagerly dug in, realizing that the only meal she had was a bagel and coffee that day, after dropping off the leather jacket.
She closed her eyes to savour the taste, looking blissfully happy seeming as if she had not a care in the world.
Gambit stared at her surprised yet again at how content and happy she seemed compared to earlier when he had felt her surge of sadness.
"Petite, yer makin me jealous with all the attention your givin to that food!" He said with a chuckle.
Her eyes immediately snapped open, her face slightly rosier than it had been before.
"Ah'm sorry it's just been so long since ah've been able tah eat southern food again. Living up North really has its downsides sometimes" she said sheepishly.
Gambit chuckled again, "No worries petite I'm just teasing, enjoy all the food you want" he replied.
Both ate in companionable silence, enjoying the food and each other.
"So continuing with dat little game." Gambit said, "Mississippi huh? I've always wondered what it's like up there."
He could tell Rogue was about to give him a snappy remark, but decided against it and responded to his question.
"It's wonderful, fields of flowers and beautiful sunsets. The beaches there are also lovely, the warm sand between your toes and ocean waves rolling in." She smiled fondly at the memories.
"Sounds like a real nice childhood" Gambit said, feeling a twinge of jealousy.
"Yeah, ah remember my friend Cody and ah used to love playing pranks on the teachers or spend time exploring around. It was always so much fun! Well it was until..."Rogue abruptly stopped talking and Gambit suddenly felt a rush of emotions thrown at him. He was yet again overwhelmed and small tears began to form in the corners of his eyes. For the first time, he was grateful for the cover of his sunglasses.
"You alright petite?" He asked worriedly.
"Yeah he just," she paused for a second with a sombre expression accenting her face, "there was an accident" Rogue responded weakly.
Gambit placed his hand on top of hers in an attempt to comfort her, but she instantly pulled away.
"Sorry cajun, just a little jumpy," She said with feigned laughter.
He decided to keep away from memories of her childhood for the rest of the evening since it seemed like she didn't have many good memories attached to it. For their remaining meal, both Rogue and Gambit continued their little question and answer game, getting to know more about each other while keeping it lighthearted. In fact by the time the bill arrived they hadn't noticed how late it was and that they had been talking for hours. Gambit insisted on walking Rogue back to her hotel stating that it wasn't "safe" at this time. Rogue, in turn, insisted on sitting in a nearby park for a little bit. Underneath the stars, they sat in comfortable silence while basking in the New Orleans scene.
"Hey ah just wanted to say thank you for tonight," Rogue said after a while, turning towards him.
"Ah've been feeling really stressed out and worried lately, but tonight I had a lot of fun!" she said beaming at him.
Gambit felt his heart slow down as he stared at her for a second before responding. "It was my pleasure Rogue".
"Marie," She said. " Mah name is actually Marie."
He was yet again surprised at this curious belle femme. Gambit could sense that she was a jaded woman who kept personal information close. However the fact that she felt comfortable enough to disclose her real name made him feel special.
"Remy then, my real name is Remy." It was Rogue's turn to look shocked.
"Remy," She said, repeating his name once again. "Ah love it." Rogue giggled and stood up walking towards the nearby fountain in the middle of the park.
For the first time, in a long time, Remy's face flushed. He was bewildered by this femme and was speechless. He strolled over to see her throwing a coin into the fountain with her eyes closed. Her eyelashes fluttered open and looked at Remy with a joyful expression.
"Well mon coeur, Marie fits you quite well too," he said to her.
Rogue was so surprised that she suddenly walked backwards and tripped, falling into the fountain. Gambit rushed forwards and in an attempt to catch her, he also fell in.
"Are you ok?!" He asked her with a concerned tone.
Rogue emerged from the water and began to laugh, but this was different. It was a wholehearted laugh and it sounded like a beautiful melody. Her eyes sparkled with something he had never seen.
"Oh mah gosh ah'm so sorry," she said still giggling "But that was the best thing ever, the look on your face!" and a new wave of laughter rolled in.
His face broke into a smile and he began to laugh along too, they stared at each other and Gambit found himself leaning towards Rogue and so did she. Before their lips touched though, Rogue suddenly reeled away from him in surprise and jumped out of the fountain. Gambit was confused now and looked to her for an explanation.
Panic was written all over her face as she pulled off her now-soaked high heels. "Ah'm sorry it's just mah mutation-" but she stopped short and looked towards him.
For what seemed like the hundredth time that night Gambit had a stunned expression.
"Pardon?" He asked frozen and shocked. It dawned on Rogue what she had just admitted and she impulsively began to run.
Shit,shit, shit how did I just say that! I mean I was going to tell him at some point but I should never had let it go that far. Ah'm on a mission for goodness sake! She thought.
Gambit quickly snapped out of his daze and began to run after her.
"Rogue wait! Wait!" Gambit shouted, but she kept on running.
Usually, he would have been able to catch up but he was still processing all the information especially the fact that they'd almost kissed and she was a MUTANT!
"Marie!" He shouted yet again and Rogue stopped, swivelling around.
"Ah'm sorry" she shouted while walking backwards. "Ah know I should've told you but-but mah mutation".
"Marie, I'm a mutant too," Remy said exasperated, walking faster towards her.
"No, you don't understand," Rogue responded. "Mah mutation, ah can't…touch" She whispered as if the words pained her.
Once she saw the baffled look on Remy's face, she decided she didn't want to hear the hurtful words that usually followed. She suddenly spirited away and arrived at the hotel, leaving Remy alone in the middle of the street.
Notes:
*Gambit's empathetic power allows him to manipulate the emotions of others but also to sense and feel them.
French Translation:
"Pas aussi beau que toi": Not as beautiful as you
French Vocab Translation:
-Mon chérie:My Darling
-Mon amis: My friend
-Mon bijou: My gem
-La dame: Lady
-Petite:Small or little
-Cracheur de feu: Spitfire
-Maison:House
-Mon coeur:My sweetheart
-Mon trésor: My treasure
-Famille:Family
-Madame:Mrs.
-Moi:Me
-Oui: Yes
-Bonne: Good
-Nuit:Night
-D'accord:Ok
-Merde:Shit
-Très:Very
-Femme: Woman
-Homme: Man
-Un/Une: A
-Belle/Beau: Beautiful
-Frère: Brother
-Mon dieu: My god
-Désolé/Désolée: Sorry
-Pardon: Excuse me
