Chapter 4

The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room. That morning, for a change, Remy LeBeau wasn't laying sprawled across his bed; he was occupying just one side of it. His body was mainly covered by a thin cotton sheet, and another was left behind, scrunched up on his side. He stirred, blinking against the light. He groaned softly, rubbing his eyes and pushing himself up on one elbow. He squinted at the clock on the nightstand. He was already late for the morning meeting.

"Mon dieu! What a night," he thought as he rubbed his eyes.

His first instinct was to rush to get ready and head downstairs to join the rest of the X-Men, knowing how late he was and bracing himself to be scolded by Scott or Magneto. Instead, he took a moment to stare at the other sheet next to him. His mind was still slightly foggy, thanks to his great idea of kissing Rogue, but slowly his most recent memories resurfaced. She had been in bed with him; she must have stayed and watched over him through the night. He grabbed the pillow next to his and hugged it tight. Her magnificent scent was still present, inebriating, intoxicating him in all the best ways. He took a deep breath to better smell all that was left of her presence. That delicious floral-scented shampoo she used filled his nostrils. It had him closing his eyes and sighing despite himself like a teenager crazy in love.

Filled with renewed determination, he swung his legs over the side of the bed, sitting up quickly. He stretched, wincing as his muscles protested—another side effect of the stolen kiss. Remy stood up, stumbling slightly as he made his way to the small en suite bathroom. He splashed water on his face, glancing at his reflection in the mirror. His eyes looked tired, but they still sparkled with the remnants of the previous night's moments of pleasure that he shared with the woman he absolutely adored.

"Ain't nothin' Gambit can't handle, chére," he remembered telling her when she brought him to his room, took off his trousers and jacket to make him more comfortable. Careful not to touch him, she tried to tuck in him in bed for the night as best as she could.

"Shut up, you stupid swamp rat. I wouldn't have done that if I knew you wouldn't be able to control yourself afterwards," she had lamented.

"Don't worry, ma colombe. That was nothing. I'm okay. In fact, I'm more than okay, I'm feeling super. Super in love with you! I could even kiss you again right now," he had said in a slurred voice.

"You're lucky I love you back, because I should have whipped your ass for that."

Remy chuckled at the memory. She had said, "I love you," probably thinking he wouldn't remember any of it. Those were not news to him; she could try to hide it as much as she wanted, but it was as clear as day. However, that was the first time she voiced it. And now, with the whole Magneto shenanigans that often had him doubting himself, those words were balsam to his troubled mind. That notion made him smile, a smile no one could wipe from his face if they tried. Well, there was one thing effective in exterminating his good mood: Erik Lensherr, aka Magneto, aka the asshole clearly out for the girl whose heart belonged to Remy.

When Gambit finally joined the others, half an hour late for their daily planning and debriefing session, all eyes were on him as he walked to the empty seat next to Rogue.

"Good morning, Reverse Sleeping Beauty!" Morph joked. He was notoriously not one to let a good teasing opportunity pass by.

The rest of the team tried to hold it in for a second, but one by one, they all expressed their amusement. Jubilee was silent at first, but then, the young one burst into full-blown laughter as she finally got the joke.

"Oh, Reverse Sleeping Beauty, as in he doesn't wake up with true love's kiss but instead falls asleep. Hahaha, good one, Morph."

Gambit took a quick glance at Rogue and saw that she herself was trying to suppress her laugh, but doing a very poor job of it. Their eyes met for a second and her cheeks turned crimson. Remy's fingers reached for her gloves hand underneath the table and he gave her a comforting squeeze.

"Enough of your childish silliness. We all know most of you showed how irresponsible and unreliable you are willing to be yesterday when you didn't follow my orders. I've decided to let that slide for the time being, and I am not going to discuss it any longer than I already have. Shall we move on to our next steps and agenda for today?" Magneto said, his tone sharp and authoritative.

"Oh, yes, you totally missed the rant, Cajun," Logan commented drily, earning a hard look from Magneto with it.

Remy shrugged, leaning back in his chair with a relaxed grin.

"Guess I'll have to catch up on all the fun later," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Rogue nudged him gently, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You better behave today, Swamp Rat," she whispered, a soft smile playing on her lips.

Remy winked at her, his heart lighter despite the lingering tension from Erik's scolding. "For you, ma chére, I'll be the perfect gentleman if you tell me to."

The meeting continued, but Remy's thoughts kept drifting back to Rogue's words from last night. Despite the chaos and challenges, he felt a renewed sense of purpose and determination. To deserve her love and be the keeper of her heart, he would climb mountains, be the hero, and save the day if it ever came to that. He would be selfless, he would be brave. She was the perfect accomplice on his journey of redemption. With Rogue by his side, he knew he could face anything, even Magneto or worse. And worse things would get—dramatically worse—but he could never have anticipated the menace that would come his way on that seemingly ordinary day that had started so well.

As those thoughts roamed free inside his mind, he suddenly heard words that caught his attention.

"And Rogue and I will fly to Genosha for a reconnaissance trip, in response to an invitation addressed to me and the X-Men. It seems our own brand-new nation understandably wants to honor Charles' legacy..."

The rest of his inflamed speech was completely lost to Remy's ears. Had that prick just suggested he and Rogue would be traveling together, just the two of them? It seemed he had, and now everyone was staring at both Rogue and him, unashamedly waiting for a reaction from either of them. The lady who owned his heart seemed to accept her fate with embarrassment and resignation. Her eyes were glued to the floor; she wouldn't look up, and what was worse, she wouldn't look at him. Her eyes looked sad, he decided. She was chewing the inside of her cheeks and repeatedly tapping her right foot lightly. If she couldn't find it in herself to rebel against Magneto, well, Remy LeBeau had no problem whatsoever in doing so.

"I can join you both and be your guide, as I happen to know the place from darker days, as everyone here knows," he offered, the tone of his voice indicating more an affirmation than a suggestion.

"Thank you for the offer, Gambit. But that won't be necessary. We have a full team awaiting our arrival, prepared to show us around. Nightcrawler is eagerly anticipating your visit, Rogue, and is ready to guide you personally," Magneto declared with a firm and authoritative tone, clearly intending to shut down any further attempts on Remy's part.

"Oh, but I insist. It would be my pleasure, and honor. Besides, Kurt, Rogue and I go way back, it will be like reliving an old trip of ours, right, chére?"

At the sound of his voice, calling her his chére, in front of Erik, Rogue's eyes found Remy's and he held her gaze. In her eyes he saw a mixture of resignation and sorrow. Her emerald eyes, usually so full of fire, seemed dulled by the weight of the situation. She bit her lower lip slightly, a subtle gesture that betrayed her inner turmoil. Her posture was tense, shoulders slightly hunched as if bearing an invisible burden. Despite the room full of people, it felt as if it was just the two of them in that moment, an unspoken conversation passing between them. Her sadness was palpable, and Remy could see the struggle within her, a conflict between duty and desire. Still, she wouldn't say a word and answered his question with a simple nod.

From the other side of the room, Wolverine stared at Rogue in complete disbelief. Why was she always so obedient whenever Magneto was around? There had to be something because that lady was completely different when she was in the presence of the master of magnetism. He had years enough on his back to recognize a toxic relationship when he saw one. Morph had told him that she asked them all to stop antagonizing Remy because of her training sessions with Magneto. So, in his book, that meant she cared for the young man, so why was she always letting Magneto get away with bossing her like that? It was definitely none of his business, but it pained him to watch his friend reduced to a meek version of herself. He crossed his arms over his chest and groaned in discontent.

"I can hardly recognize you," he grunted. He didn't name the person for whom those words were addressed, but there was no need.

To draw attention away from her, Remy decided to crack a joke while still pleading his case. Over his dead body Magneto would be flying his girl away from him.

"Well, y'all know Genosha won't be the same without a dose of good old Gambit," he quipped with a mischievous grin, twirling a playing card between his fingers. "I mean, who else is gonna teach them how to properly play poker and cook up a good gumbo? Besides, the place could use a bit of my charm, give it a real Cajun makeover."

A few chuckles erupted around the room, the tension easing slightly. Jubilee and Morph nodded in agreement, trying to help him.

Magneto, unfazed, tried to carry on with the meeting as if nothing had been said. He moved on to assigning tasks to those who would be staying behind in the mansion, that meant most of the team, when Rogue finally gathered the courage to intervene.

"I would be happier if Remy could come to Genosha too," she spoke softly, her usual sass was gone.

Their leader's only reaction was to pause briefly, his stern eyes fixed on both of them. After a tense moment of silence, he finally agreed to their request.

"Very well, if you insist. Rogue and Gambit, you are both excused from the rest of the meeting. Please, go ahead, pack and be ready for our departure that will take place within an hour or two."

The pair left the war room immediately. Once outside, Rogue quickly reverted to her carefree self, laughing out loud as Gambit playfully skipped down the corridor ahead of her, his infectious energy bringing a smile to her face.

"Going to Genosha with ma belle chére," he sang as he went.

"We're gonna have fun, I'm sure," she replied.

"In fact, we could spare a little time and have some fun now," he said, a wide grin spreading over his lips. It sent shivers down her spine. He was so drop dead gorgeous, his beautiful hair framing his pretty face combined with those lips promised mischief with that smirk drove her insane.

"Now, what kind of fun are we talking?"

"Oh, you know, chére. You gave me something yesterday and I need to return it to you," he said in that thick sexy accent of his, and she instantly knew very well what he was talking about.

It amazed her how he cherished her for all she was, flaws and all. He must have been frustrated before at her lack of reaction to Magneto's news, at her silence and quick acceptance, right? But he never retaliated or expressed his frustration; instead, he kept being her prince charming, treating her with nothing but loving gestures. It was almost as if he knew, or could read, her troubled heart.

Earlier that morning, as she tiptoed her way out of Remy's bedroom, she sighed, intoxicated by his lingering scent in her hair. That magic feeling was shattered as the person lurking in the shadows came into full view. She was confronted by none other than Erik Lehnsherr. He had to be there, preying on her, on them, waiting for her to come out. With a stern look on his face, he used that same tone of voice he had back then. It carried a mix of fake concern and patronizing advice that would manipulate her, belittle her, and make her feel like he was the holder of all knowledge and that she was just being an inconsequential little girl.

"Oh, Rogue, you know this is not what we agreed," he spoke in a sombre tone.

"I was just, just watching over him. He... he was not feeling great, so I..."

She wanted to kick herself for somehow being afraid of him, of what he would think of her. He had that sort of power over her, some sort of unwanted authority that had always been there because he knew her from before, when she was stupid and naive, and somehow made her feel that he had shaped her into who she was today.

"Oh, I can imagine why he wasn't feeling good. You two probably had an accident, right? He got more than what he had bargained for when he tried to fondle you."

Rogue felt ashamed of herself, and he could tell, he knew her ways, how she behaved when caught red-handed. It was a glorious sight, he enjoyed watching her embarrassment. She swallowed hard and looked at her feet, feeling the weight of her irresponsible actions. Yes, it was awesome when she was able to give pleasure to the man she secretly loved, or perhaps not that secretly as she imagined. But it was not nice at all watching Remy fall victim to her powers.

"It wasn't like that…" She tried to lie, knowing full well she couldn't fool Erik for half a second.

"It was exactly like that. I don't need to lie to me. It makes me question if we should continue our training or not, you don't seem to care about him as much as you say. If you did, you wouldn't be endangering that man's life because of your… appetite."

And just like that, he planted more shame and guilt in her heart. As if she needed any more of that. Still, it didn't stop her going to Remy's room before they packed. He had a new pair of gloves this time around, one that was sleek and that he had made slippery.

"Oh, chére, je t'aime, so very much," he whispered in her ears as he slid a finger inside her.

She gasped at the sensation. All she wanted was all that heartache to be over and for her to be able to finally touch him without restraint. She wanted it so bad that to fall back into Magneto's good graces, she agreed to join him at the gala in Genosha. At the time, it seemed like a small price to pay for her to achieve what she wanted. She couldn't help but feel that she made some improvement after all those training sessions. Gambit had kissed her long and hard at the club and she kissed him back, enjoyed it for a few seconds before her powers kicked in. Maybe she was going somewhere, her power control was getting slightly better.

She wanted to feel him, really feel him, feel the warmth of Remy's touch, feel every inch of his skin against hers. The way his fingers moved with a combination of tenderness and skill sent shivers down her spine, he took her so high. If only that was his skin, if only it could be more than that. His touch had been electric, igniting a fire within her that was as dangerous as it was delicious. She felt safe, cherished, and utterly alive in his arms, but it always left her wanting more. It was the sweetest kind of torture. If he could make her come just like that, with the little crumbles of ways of giving each other pleasure that they developed through the years, imagine if she could really feel him, all of him.

As he expertly brought her to orgasm, the world faded away, and her insecurities and shortcomings were forgotten for a moment. The intense wave of pleasure that erupted within her left just the two of them, drunk in love and lost in their own private universe.

His eyes had been full of affection and desire, mirroring the emotions swirling within her. She could still hear the soft, reassuring words he had whispered, promising her the world and more. In that moment, all her fears had melted away, replaced by a profound connection that transcended their usual barriers.

The memory was fresh and bittersweet as they all boarded the jet later that day, a reminder of the love and passion they shared, as well as the challenges that lay ahead. Nothing in the world could prepare either of them for what was about to come. But even in the midst of uncertainty, the moments of intimacy they had shared just hours before remained a beacon of hope, a testament to the bond that held them together.

Once aboard the jet, Rogue found a way to have a few words with Remy away from Magneto's earshot. She told him about the gala and how she would attend it with Magneto. Her reasons for doing so, and Magneto's masked coercion, were omitted, naturally, leaving poor Remy LeBeau visibly distressed and impatient. He just wanted out of that place of confinement; he couldn't stand being with just the two of them. He trusted Rogue and knew she must have had her reasons to accept the invitation, but if he was honest with himself, it was getting harder and harder to carry the heavy load of his love for her. Sometimes, it felt as if he was the only one doing so.

"This is taking forever," he commented with an annoyed sigh.

"We can't go any faster than this, sugar," she replied.

"Gambit, please remember that should the new Blackbird suffer a malfunction, you are the only soul on board for whom gravity would most certainly be an issue," Magneto offered with a smirk. He was not even trying to hide his distaste for Remy, and it was pretty obvious that the reason behind it was Rogue. The way the old man looked at his chére made his stomach twist and turn.

The journey felt interminable and unsettling for Remy. The confined space of the jet and the palpable tension made each minute drag on endlessly. However, as they approached Genosha, the atmosphere began to change, giving way to an unexpected sense of hope.

From the air, Genosha appeared to be a utopia, a sanctuary where mutants openly displayed their abilities and embraced their true selves without fear or restraint. The sight was a stark contrast to the plights of mutant life they had grown accustomed to. Lush landscapes and modern architecture intermingled, creating a vibrant tapestry of life and freedom. The air buzzed with the harmonious hum of mutant powers in use, a symphony of abilities blending seamlessly into the daily fabric of Genosha. Very different from the Genosha Gambit knew, a place of imprisonment, where mutants were enslaved and stripped from their dignity. He couldn't help but feel suspicious about such progress in a small amount of time.

As the Blackbird touched down, they were greeted by a welcoming committee. Madelyne Pryor and Dr. Cooper stood at the ready, their presence exuding both authority and warmth. Madelyne, in particular, seemed to have risen to a prominent position among Genosha's elite.

They exchanged a few pleasantries before Rogue and Gambit were finally saved by the bell.

"Magneto, the Interim Council would love a word with you before tonight's gala. Privately, if possible," Madelyne informed Magnus.

Magneto nodded, acknowledging her with a reserved smile.

Rogue couldn't help but exhale, letting a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. It was again just her and Remy, and apparently, a full day to enjoy in his company before the gala later that night.

Little did she know that would be the last of Remy LeBeau that she would get to enjoy.

Ignorance is bliss, indeed.