The Karaoke Night
Because of the X-Men's long history with leadership struggles, Kitty took the role of leader very seriously. She wanted to be different from her predecessors. There wasn't a challenge in her life she hadn't faced with grit and determination. Oh, well, maybe her love life hadn't seen so much effort and dedication, but aside from that, she'd always given all her best efforts to anything that came along her way. Leading the team was no different. Kitty was determined to be the kind of leader who could hold the X-Men together. Lord knows how that bunch needed that! No matter what came their way, she would lead and make the team a solid unity. Earning her team's respect was a priority, also nurturing their bond and seeing them grow. Those goals she wasn't about to take lightly.
Storm had probably been right to encourage her to step up. Ororo was wise, and she'd seen potential in Kitty ever since they'd met when Kitty was just a teenager. She had watched her grow into a fierce mutant and an adept strategist, capable of anything she set her mind to. Now it was Kitty's turn to lead, and she intended to rise to the occasion.
Hearing about Kitty's hunger for knowledge and avidity to dive into the world of leadership, Henry McCoy had the brilliant idea of introducing Kitty to the world of coaching and team building studies. It seemed like a well-intentioned and pretty harmless thing to do, but he had no idea how obsessed she would become with TED talks, leadership podcasts, and whatnot. Funnily enough, it did work wonders. If only Xavier knew it would be that easy, right? If only he would have focused on his team, instead of on his foes, cough, cough, Magneto, cough. Maybe, just maybe, he would have been a better leader.
As she listened to the latest podcast of her favorite coach, her mind went wild with ideas. The X-Men hadn't had a night off in ages, they could benefit from some fun team-building activity, she pondered. Yes, that sounded like a great idea, a karaoke night for the team! Not only the current team would be invited, everyone! Everyone who has ever been a proud X-Men! As soon as the idea came to her, she was already searching the place to hold the event and sending out invitations to X-Men members, old and new. Either in the Gold team, or other old friends that were doing their own thing or working alongside other affiliations, like the Avengers.
Kitty's idea for karaoke night had, predictably, come from one of the endless leadership podcasts she'd been binging. According to Mutants in Management, "karaoke fosters trust, vulnerability, and teamwork." Also good to take the edge of the daily grind and let off some steam, she completed the sentence in her own head.
'We could definitely do with some of that,' she thought, excitedly imagining how she would be appreciated by the team when they heard of her initiative. "Building trust is essential, and trust will enable team members to be vulnerable and forthcoming when needed. And, oh yeah, perfecting our teamwork. That will do wonders!'
Within moments, mutants' phones all over New York were buzzing with notifications. She had quickly crafted and sent an email with a surprisingly polished invitation to a "mandatory team-bonding event." The venue wasn't exactly high-end; after all, it was not like the X-Men were exactly swimming in cash. So, Kitty had simply booked the first place that came up in her Google search for 'karaoke bar, mutant-friendly'. What could go wrong, right? One of the things she had learned with all her leadership empowerment was to be confident. Lead by example, if you look confident, your team will trust you and follow, she thought.
Leaning back in her chair with a satisfied grin, Kitty crossed her arms behind her head, waiting for the RSVPs to roll in. This was going to be an unforgettable night, whether her teammates liked it or not. The replies didn't come quite as fast as she was hoping. They slowly dropped in throughout the day, until an interesting one showed up in her notification screen.
Rogue had confirmed her presence. Shadowcat smiled at that, despite herself. Her friend had been rolling with the Avengers mainly these days. So, it had a special meaning and weight the fact that she had agreed to come. Others confirmed presence: Piotr, Emma, Jubilee, Old Man Logan, Rachel, Bobby, Hank, Ororo, Kurt, Betsy and Laura Kinney.
Later that day another notification sound.
"Oops, Dazzler is coming too! She'll put us all to shame. Maybe shouldn't have invited her," Kitty mumbled.
"Do not worry, Katya. It will be alright, my love," Piotr assured her.
"You see, I actually do not worry that much about her. Gambit hasn't replied at all and that must mean he's up to no good, busy with his shenanigans."
"He is an adult. You do not need to watch over him, over them, like children."
"You're probably right. But Rogue and him, the drama is never-ending..."
Two weeks later, all the mutants who had previously confirmed their presence gathered in a cozy, slightly worn bar in Brooklyn that was mutant-friendly, complete with a flickering neon sign and all-important karaoke machine. Rogue was the only one who hadn't shown up yet. But Kitty would not be waiting for her or anyone for that matter. She made a beeline for the mic, grinning as she waved them all in. Rachel Grey rolled her eyes with a smile, and Storm smirked knowingly. She clapped on as Kitty took the stage, she was her fierce supporter. As far as she was concerned, Kitty was trying hard, getting out of her comfort zone and shaping up to be one of the best leaders the X-Men ever had. Old Logan grumbled something about needing a stiff drink first, while Nightcrawler and Jubilee looked as excited as kids on Christmas morning.
"Alright, team bonding time!" Kitty announced, tossing her jacket over a chair and grabbing a stack of songbooks. "Thank you all for coming. We prepared this night for you, and we hope you enjoy it. Trust me, this is gonna be great."
She handed the first book to Colossus, who seemed a little too serious as he flipped through pages, squinting to decipher pop song titles. Meanwhile, Jubilee, her eyes bright with mischief, nudged Emma, daring her to start the night off with a bang. And that she did, she seemingly had come prepared for the song she chose, in fact. Emma stepped onto the little wooden karaoke stage with her signature poise and confidence, her eyes searched the room, making sure all eyes were on her before she started her little performance. Dazzler cheered her on, totally feeling her vibe.
And that's the image Rogue found when she stepped into the venue, feeling a bit inadequate and insecure. She looked around, her eyes secretly, or perhaps not as secretly as she thought, were scanning the room for any signs of Le Diable Blanc, aka, Gambit, aka, Remy LeBeau, aka, fucking devil that always makes her panties drop. Satisfied that he was not there, she took a seat next to Jubilee and took in the view in front of her, in awe and admiration. Ema was wearing a white lace corset that hugged her figure perfectly, paired with a layered tulle skirt that swished dramatically with each movement she made. Fingerless lace gloves adorned her hands, and a chunky cross necklace dangled provocatively at her neck.
"She's going to sing Like a Virgin, right?" Rogue asked Jubilee in a whisper. The pretty Asian lady nodded, she couldn't take her eyes off Ema. She was a sight to behold. Her platinum blonde hair was styled in voluminous waves, with a tiara-like headpiece perched effortlessly atop her head, completing the ensemble.
As the opening notes of "Like a Virgin" played, she gripped the microphone with a mischievous smirk, her voice sultry yet commanding. She swayed and moved with the rhythm, embodying both the rebellious energy of Madonna and the cool, calculated charisma of the White Queen herself.
"Wasn't this supposed to be a team bonding thingy? Why is she singing by herself?" Rogue asked, trying to hard not to speak so loud that everyone could hear her, but Bobby who was sitting at another table swiftly joined the two beautiful ladies, just in time to answer her question.
"She can do that because she's clearly a diva."
"That she is," Rogue agreed with a smile directed at friend. She hadn't seen him in a while, she scooted to edge of her seat so she could hug him while still sitting, while he greeted her with a kiss on her cheek.
Colossus brought everyone a beer to get the party rolling, and many more beers followed. Everyone took turns singing and it was a riot. It was not long before they were rolling with laughter at some performances.
Logan sang 'Jessie's Girl' and Bobby was quick to change the chorus to 'Cyke's girl' and everyone went with it. The whole room singing the changed version of the song whenever Logan reached the chorus. Next, Piotr and Kurt would sing "Born in the USA". And it was hilarious because neither of them were born in the US, not even in the same continent. They were cute, though, and got everyone to sing along with them.
Even though the atmosphere in the bar was one of love and friendship, mutants rejoicing and reminiscing of good old days, Rogue was the only one who would scan the room from time to time and check her watch and phone every now and then.
"I don't think he's coming. He never even replied to Kitty's email, she told me," Jubilee answered the unasked question. Seeing Rogue that fidgety was killing her. She really rooted for those two to be together., but God! Were the two of them two idiots or what? If she wanted him to be there, why wouldn't she just call him and tell him that?
What Jubilee didn't know is that the last time they saw each other, it didn't end so well. He called her, he was lonely, and she invited him over, and one thing led to the other, as they always do, and they slept together. Next morning, they wake up to some chick calling him and she got all jealous and went crash, boom, bang. She kicked him out of her room in the Avengers tower and didn't pick up of his calls that week. So, he stopped calling her which seemed to be what she wanted, but it bothered her to no end. And that was the mess where they were at. Therefore, it was understandable that Anna Marie was so on edge and dreading seeing him, especially meeting him in front of everybody.
As time went by and more horrible renditions of famous songs kept rolling, she started to feel more relaxed. It looked as if he wasn't coming after all. She certainly wasn't looking forward to dealing with him, and their little bout of unjustified jealousy, in front of all their friends. Her brother kept her company, buying her drinks and keeping the conversation light whenever he wasn't on stage. Jubilee and him were obsessed, they were in almost all groups, taking turns and sometimes, even singing together.
At one point, Bobby, Logan, and her brother surprised everyone with an unexpectedly fantastic rendition of "More Than a Feeling." Their harmonies were shockingly good, and the crowd erupted into cheers, clapping and singing along with the trio. After a few drinks, even Old Man Logan seemed more than happy to join in the fun, his gruff exterior melting into an enthusiastic, and if anything, slightly off-key participant.
Following their performance, Kitty and Piotr stepped up to the microphone, instantly stealing the spotlight with a cutesy and fun duet of the Dirty Dancing theme song. Their playful chemistry was undeniable, and it lit up the room with a warm energy. They even attempted to recreate the movie's famous lift scene. Kitty ran toward Piotr with mock dramatic intensity, and with little effort, he effortlessly caught her and held her aloft. The room erupted into cheers and applause as Kitty stretched her arms out, beaming with triumph.
It was during this moment that Betsy strolled up to Rogue with the sly smile of a cat who'd just eaten the canary.
"You reckon you're going to sit all pretty here, enjoy the show, and avoid the stage, huh?" she said, her voice dripping with mischievous intent. "Tough luck, Rogue. I picked out a song just for you. Wrote our names down already, you, me, and Emma. And you're leading."
Rogue blinked, caught off guard. If she were honest with herself, she was a little scared of saying no to Betsy. There was something about that commandeering personality of hers, not to mention the classy British accent, that made resistance feel utterly futile.
"Okay," Rogue agreed quickly, before she could second-guess herself. "I guess."
"Good," Betsy said with a satisfied nod. "We're up after Jubilee and Laura's 'Call Me Maybe.'"
Rogue turned her attention to the stage, where the younger ladies were having the time of their lives. Jubilee and Laura Kinney were singing their hearts out, dancing and jumping around without a care in the world. It was refreshing to see Laura relaxed and enjoying herself. Rogue almost wished their fun would never end, especially after Betsy revealed what song she'd chosen for their trio: "New Rules."
Her stomach sank as realization hit. Emma. Emma Frost was behind this. She just knew. For weeks, Emma had been teasing her mercilessly about her complicated feelings for Remy LeBeau.
"Rogue, you have to either surrender to the love you feel for him or move on already," Emma had told her with an infuriating smirk not long ago. "You two are the absolute worst at love games. Why keep dragging it out? Either be together or quit it. The mansion might love the drama, but watching it play out is exhausting."
And now, here they were, with Rogue about to sing a song that practically screamed her dilemma to everyone in the room. Emma Frost knew exactly what she was doing. It was not long before it was their turn to go and grace the stage. Anna Marie was hoping hard that everyone was so high in booze at this point that they wouldn't even notice her and the content of the song.
Rogue, Emma, and Betsy took their places, the opening beats of "New Rules" reverberating through the room. Rogue stood front and center, the light directed at the stage captured her white locks of hair and made them shine beautifully. She might not like being on stage, but it certainly agreed with her. She looked gorgeous as she started singing, her Southern drawl added a sultry edge to her voice as she began to sing the lead. Despite her initial reluctance, her natural charisma took over as she leaned into the performance, delivering the verses that rang true to her. She couldn't help thinking about Remy as she delivered her vocals: "My love, he makes me feel like nobody else, nobody else."
Emma and Betsy flanked her on either side, their movements smooth and coordinated. When the chorus hit, their harmonized voices rang out with sharp precision, and of course, they were the ones dictating the rules: "One, don't pick up the phone..." Emma, with her commanding presence smirking knowingly as if directing every word at Rogue herself. Betsy happily helped her in that task "Three: Don't be his friend, you know you're gonna wake up in his bed in the morning." And Emma would complete singing "And if you're under him, you ain't getting over him".
As the song went on, Rogue's confidence grew. By the second chorus, she was swaying to the rhythm, her voice full of raw emotion as she poured herself into the lyrics. And that was when Bobby had the amazing idea of making a video to send to no one other than Gambit. Jubilee was then sitting next to him, and smile at that.
"Oh, I see what you're doing, and I approve," she said with a giggle.
"Am I right, or am I right?" Bobby asked mischievously.
"Definitely right. We are Team Romy, Emma can go to hell," she declared with a grin, watching as Bobby dramatically pressed the send button on his screen. "We're summoning the man, the legend himself. I bet he will find a way to bring his ass here."
And she was completely right about that. Remy quickly replied to Iceman, as soon as he watched the clip Bobby sent him. He told him he could get there in 20 min and wrote the name of a song for him and Bobby to sing together. Remy LeBeau, King of Thieves, hadn't come because he had a job to do that night. He attended a gala where he was supposed to lure host and guests and find the time to acquire intel as requested by a well-esteemed client of the Guild. A job for the King himself to ensure that it went as smoothly as possible. Since he had already completed his mission and was only chatting up a brunette at the party that would serve her purpose as the perfect alibi, the decision to leave and go meet the rest of the team had been an easy one to make.
When he got there, he quickly spotted Rogue, sitting next to Betsy. She was watching intently as Storm took the stage singing "Natural Woman" beautifully. In he came, looking as handsome as a man could ever be, his perfectly tailored suit hugged his frame just right, the deep charcoal fabric offset by a crimson tie that matched the exquisite red in his eyes. It was criminal to look as good as that. He looked like a work of the devil himself, designed to tempt men and women alike, charm and lust in one beautiful package.
"Oh, my!" Jubilee exclaimed as he approached her, greeting her with a kiss on her cheek. "Remy LeBeau, I fear my teen crush on you is coming back!"
With that devilish seductive smile, he began greeting everyone in the room, his Cajun charm radiating in every gesture. He clapped Bobby on the back, exchanged a mock bow with Laura, and tipped an imaginary hat to Emma, whose eyes narrowed slightly in amusement. Even Logan got a two-finger salute that managed to be both cheeky and respectful.
Not one single look at Rogue was spared. He didn't even glance her way. Not at first. Instead, he let his presence linger just enough to catch her attention, knowing full well she had noticed him. His movements were smooth, his laughter easy, as if he were in complete control of the room's energy. That didn't last long, though. Bobby and he were called up to the stage to sing "Wrecking Ball". He finally looked her way and smirked.
"Oh, no! Here we go," Betsy commented, watching Rogue for her reactions. She only shook her head and braced herself for what was about to come.
The crowd erupted into laughter and cheers as Bobby Drake and Remy LeBeau took the stage, grinning from ear to ear as the unmistakable opening chords of "Wrecking Ball" filled the room. The pairing was unexpected but immediately entertaining, with Bobby's playful energy and Remy's smooth charisma creating a hilarious yet oddly captivating dynamic.
Bobby started off, clutching the mic dramatically as he belted out the opening verse with exaggerated emotion, his ice-blue eyes wide as he played up the heartbreak in the lyrics.
"We clawed," Bobby started.
"We chained," Remy completed.
"Our hearts in vain," Bobby said, as they alternated verses for dramatic effect.
"We jumped, never asking why," both sang in unison.
And they continued all the song like that, staring into each other's eyes, looking like a gay couple. Everyone was laughing at their hilarious duet, even Rogue forgot that Remy was playing his ridiculous love games with her that night and giggled at the scene. That was until Remy dropped the act and sang looking straight into Rogue's eyes, as if it were just the two of them in the room.
"Don't you ever say I just walked away
I will always want you
I can't live a lie, running for my life
I will always LOVE you," he said, altering the lyrics slightly.
With that, he dropped the mic and left Bobby to continue singing the song, which he did, with gusto. Without a word, he approached Rogue, his expression unreadable but intense. The noise of the room seemed to fade away, leaving only the charged air between them. Rogue opened her mouth as if to say something, but before she could, Remy cupped her face gently in his hands, his thumbs caressing her cheeks lovingly, his touch was warm and melted her heart.
And then he kissed her, a kiss that didn't seek permission, that wasn't apologetic in any way. His lips met hers with some sort of hunger, full of the passion and unspoken emotions that had been simmering between them for far too long. Rogue's initial surprise melted away, and she mirrored him and his need for her, her hands instinctively gripped his jacket as if to anchor herself, to become one with him.
The cheers and catcalls from their friends broke the spell, pulling them back to reality. Bobby, still singing dramatically on stage, pointed his mic at them with a teasing grin as the crowd hooted and hollered.
"So, I was told that are desperately looking to get over me," he said as soon as their lips parted.
"Oh, it was Bobby, wasn't it? What will I ever do about our meddling friends?"
"Thank them?" He suggested promptly.
"Oh, Remy!" She started to complain, but he pulled her to him, and kissed her again, this time, he deepened the kiss until their tongues were interlaced, she had to battle herself not to moan at the deliciousness of his taste.
"Come, chére. I knew you'd come around so I asked Bobby to also sign the two of us for a song," he told her.
"You are so cocky, Remy LeBeau. It's infuriating! We still must talk about what happened that morning."
"No, we don't. It's okay, chére. I get it, I was not mad at you, just wanted to see if you'd miss me if I stopped calling," he confessed with a chuckle, without a care in the world.
"Are you for real?"
She was planning to put on a show, and pretend to be angry at him, like she usually did, but that night there was no room for cat and mouse games. He took her by the hand as it was their turn to sing together. As the familiar opening chords of "Islands in the Stream" began to play, the room collectively leaned in with interest. Rogue smiled sweetly at his song choice, it was their thing, a song by the Southern diva herself, Dolly Parton. Remy and Rogue stood at the microphones, the undeniable chemistry they had was palpable. Jubilee and Bobby smiled despite themselves; they loved how their plan had worked so well.
He leaned toward her and whispered, "Just follow my lead, chère. We'll make them swoon."
When Remy began the first verse, his Cajun-accented voice was smooth and rich, carrying the melody with an effortless charm that had more than a few people in the audience smiling dreamily. His eyes never left Rogue as he sang, his gaze warm and playful, as if every word was meant just for her.
When Rogue joined in for her verse, her voice was soft at first. But as she caught the encouraging spark in Remy's expression, her confidence grew. Her Southern drawl gave her performance a unique sweetness, blending beautifully with his deeper tone.
By the time they hit the chorus, their voices harmonized perfectly, creating a moment so genuine and heartfelt that even Logan, sitting in the back corner with a drink, couldn't hide a small smirk.
"Islands in the stream, that is what we are…"
Rogue found herself relaxing into the song, swaying gently to the rhythm. Remy took a step closer to her, their proximity adding a layer of intimacy to the performance. As the bridge hit, Remy playfully extended a hand, spinning Rogue in a quick twirl that caught her off guard but had the crowd cheering. Her laugh, soft and genuine, broke through her initial shyness, and for a moment, it was just her and him, and how good he always made her feel whenever he was around.
When the song reached its emotional climax, their voices soared together, carrying the room with them. The final lines—"Making love with each other, uh huh…"—were delivered with a teasing grin from Remy and a slightly exasperated eye-roll from Rogue, though the blush on her cheeks betrayed her.
As the music faded and the applause erupted, Rogue shook her head, smiling despite herself.
"Told you we'd make them swoon," Remy said, leaning closer as they stepped away from the mics.
"Shut up, swamp rat," she replied, though her voice held no real bite. And as they returned to their seats, the undeniable chemistry between them lingered in the air, leaving the room buzzing with whispers and knowing smiles.
There was so much she felt she needed to say to him after their little spell apart, but the words got caught in her throat. The only thing she could do was smile back at him like the fool in love that she secretly was. Again, maybe not as secretly as she imagined herself to be.
"Wanna get out of here, mon amour?" He asked her boldly. He was a gambler, and he loved taking all his chances whenever she was concerned.
"I don't know… What do you have in mind?"
"You could come to my place; I could cook for you. I don't know about you, but my night was quite busy, had no time to have decent dinner, you know?"
"What kind of fool do you take me for, Remy? We both know where any dinner situation with us end, especially," and she stressed the word 'especially, "at your place."
Instead of trying to deny the undeniable, he took matters into his own hand. He could very well remind her that she wanted it too. He hugged her tightly and whispered in her ears.
"We both know that wouldn't be a bad thing either, non?"
His lips brushed against her neck with deliberate softness, finding that one spot just below her ear that made her heart skip a beat. A shiver ran through her, and he noticed. He had to purse his lips to stop himself for laughing at her reaction. She instinctively tilted her head to the side, giving him more access without even realizing it.
A satisfied smile curved his lips as he moved lower, pressing another kiss to the hollow of her throat, lingering just enough to make her pulse race. He knew exactly what he was doing, the little devil that he was. When he found another one of her favorite spots near her collarbone, she let out a soft, involuntary moan that only fuelled his confidence.
"You like that, don't you, chère?" he murmured, his warm breath against her skin sending another shiver through her. His voice was low and velvet-smooth, full of that Cajun charm that always seemed to undo her.
"Well, I guess, dinner it is, Remy," she finally conceded.
As they left hand in hand, taking the French leave, fully knowing they would spend the night in each other's arms, Emma and Betsy saw the couple and exchanged knowing glances.
"Guess our girl learned no rules tonight," Betsy commented.
"Boy needs to learn it too."
"Perhaps, they won't need to. I guess someday those two cute idiots will learn there's no point in being apart."
"Maybe some day," Emma agreed.