Being away for a longer period of time made her miss all the small things. The Sunday brunches, the sound of the door when someone comes home, her collection of teddies that she couldn't bring with her to the Avengers', the fresh coffee smell coming from the kitchen at any time of the day. Dorothy was right, there was no place like home. And the mansion was it: home. She couldn't help but indulge in the feeling of relief that invaded her whenever she pulled into that well-known driveway.

It wasn't all roses, though.

Even if she had only been away for a few months, she had seen a lot, met new people and fought new battles – all of which contributed to a feeling of fulfillment. Nevertheless, her X-friends most probably did not understand this. Although she'd like to express her excitement, tell them about how things get done with the Avengers and share stories of her most meaningful adventures, the people around her would only understand a small part of it. For them, she was really the same old Rogue, perhaps just with some weird new habits.

It was late afternoon and she was there for a meeting Storm had requested. She was expected to periodically inform her of the latest whereabouts of Red Skull, and consequently, the professor's brain. The X-Men would aid the Avengers in their quest of recovering it, if help was needed.

It was clear that she wasn't staying, it was just work. And perhaps that was what felt so strange. As much as she enjoyed being in Ororo's company, she made it pretty obvious they were working, not just hanging out together like in old times.

Suddenly, the door swung open, unannounced.

"What happened with knocking the door first?" Ororo asked, none too impressed. In walks none other than Remy LeBeau, all good looks and swagger. He's the kind of man that turns the head of every woman in any room. Those two women in that particular room were not that thrilled at his interruption, though.

"Well, well, well. I came looking for one of my favorite women in the whole wide world, but ended up hitting jackpot and finding both my girls at once. What brings you here, chére?" He walked Rogue's way, stopping short to take her hand in his and give its back the usual kiss.

'Fuck!', Rogue thought. She felt the buzz when his lips made contact with her bare skin. 'Block him out!' She commanded herself.

"Remy." She manages to acknowledge him simply with a curt nod, making a real effort not to blush.

"We're working on some information. You know… Red Skull." She adds in a rather professional manner. Storm watches their interactions with interest.

"And I wasn't invited? Quelle dommage!" He pretended to be offended in a comic way.

"We're almost done, Remy. Whatever you wanted with me can surely wait some twenty minutes, can't it?" Ororo offered, politely dismissing him.

"Actually, I was going to invite you to dinner out in town, Stormy. I'm so bored! Now that Anna is here, well, we could go the three of us out for dinner together. What do you lovely ladies say?"

"I don't know, I… I don't want to stand on your way." Rogue started. "You came here for Ororo."

"Non sense! You're always welcome to join us. Come on, Anna. It'll be fun! It always is. Don't tell me you'd rather be locked up in your room at the Avengers'." She thought of debating, saying she didn't always stay in her room when she was there, but knew it was pointless. First, he was right, she did prefer her own room than interacting with the others, second, she knew she missed hanging out with those two. She agreed to go without much drama.

While she gathered her stuff to go, Storm couldn't help but notice her best friend's soft gaze directed at their friend with the white-streaked hair. There were many men that could fool her, but not him, her best friend, and ironically, one of the best liars she knew. To her, his eyes were the mirror of his soul. She knew the look of love in them when she saw it. Those lingering eyes, the sparkle, the way they shone, there was no denying it. He could lie all he wanted, but seeing him look at Rogue, she instantly knew he was still in love with Anna and it didn't really surprise her. Even though Ororo had known he hadn't shied away from other women lately, she never really bought his womanizer charade. One look at Anna, just being in her presence and his pretense had all but gone to waste.

Those two! She couldn't possibly spend the night at a table with the two of them. All the drama, that sexual tension… She was determined to buy herself a way out of that situation.

The three long time teammates and friends strode down the hall on their way out of the mansion. Anna clutched her crossbody bag as if her life depended on it. Storm knew she was fearing Remy taking her hands in his as he always did. 'Yeah, you're just friends all right.' Ororo thought as she glared at Remy when his eyes met hers for a brief moment. He shrugged and mouthed a 'What?' when Rogue wasn't looking. She simply rolled her eyes at him. If only she were a telepath to call out for someone to show up and lie convincingly, claiming they needed her.

Just then, Bobby walks into the mansion.

"Anna! Such a while it's been! So good to see you here! How have you been?" Rogue's long-time friend was genuinely happy to see her. The two of them spent a couple of minutes catching up while Storm turned on her heels and grinned at Remy.

"What is it, chére?" He asked her unsuspectingly.

"You almost got me there." She whispered. "But I saw the way you look at her and let me tell you, my friend, you can't fool me."

"Quoi? What do you mean?" He asked her with a puzzled expression.

"You're still in love with her. I thought you were so over Anna, what with you and all the ladies that I can't possibly keep track recently…" She trailed off.

"Don't know what you're talking about, mon ami." He lied sloppily and chuckled at the ridiculousness of it.

"Cut it, Remy! You can use that poker face of yours with anyone but me. Besides, it's not like you're even trying hard to hide it."

"You can't blame me." He smirked at her and she snorted.

"So you don't deny it, right?"

"Guilty as charged, Stormy. I have always been in love with that woman, ever since I fucking laid eyes on this smoldering hot lady." He said, glancing Anna's way, licking his lips while watching her and Bobby's excited interactions.

"Alright, then. So, help me out of this one. There's no way I'm having dinner with just the two of you. I can't stand it! I can't stand the drama!"

Rogue finally turned her attention to her soon-to-be-dinner-companions.

"Shall we get going?" She asked both her friends with a smile. "Perhaps you could come along, Bobby?"

Storm gave Bobby their specially coded look.

"Well, dear, now that I've seen Bobby I remembered we had a joint meeting with the family of a student. Right, Bobby?" It took him a split second for him to figure out her intentions and he couldn't condone her for getting away from that situation. He too noticed Rogue's unusual agitation and he knew that could mean one thing: Remy LeBeau still had an effect on her.

"Mmm… Yeah, I can't believe you'd do that to me. Were you going to leave me alone to fend for myself?" He made it sound very dramatic. Remy had to look away so he wouldn't laugh at the scene. Storm narrowed her eyes at the Iceman.

"Oh, I can't believe you, guys! I only… oh, never mind." She didn't need to finish the sentence, everybody knew she only agreed to dinner because it wouldn't just be Remy and her.

"You break my heart, chére." Remy said in mockery, everyone laughed but Rogue.

"Sorry, sugar. You're as good company for dinner as any. Let's get going, then." She breathed out shyly.

"Sure thing, chére." He said and offered her his arm which she reluctantly took. However, the sweet look she gave him filled him with delight. She smiled and it touched her eyes.

"So tell me, Cajun, what have YOU been up to?"

-0-

It had been Remy's idea to go out for dinner, so it was he who picked the place. The waiters and receptionist seemed to know him well, they already knew the table he seemed to like.

They were clearly getting the VIP treatment. It was like a little oasis: the restaurant was packed but they weren't kept waiting and the waiter was particularly attentive. The way things were going, Anna was sure that the chef might even come out to say hello or send over some extra desserts. She wasn't awfully surprised when the chef did come, minutes later, to ask her how she wanted her steak done. He obviously knew Remy used to go for medium rare.

"Having dinner with you is always a five-star experience, isn't it, sugar?" She teased, as soon as the chef left them.

"I'm glad you are enjoying it, chére. It's because my companion deserves the very best." He offered gallantly.

"You're so full of shit, Remy. I bet all my gold you tell this to every lady that comes here with you." Remy had introduced her to the chef as Mrs. LeBeau. He had produced two fake rings earlier, slipped one on her ring finger, saying that was so they could have a quiet peaceful night. She understood what he meant and took it without much questioning. The man's eyes almost popped out of its sockets when Remy said 'wife'. Anna had to bite her lips so she wouldn't laugh at the unsubtle man's reaction.

"Not everyone is Mrs. LeBeau." He commented with a cheeky grin which got him a kick on his shin under the table. He raised an eyebrow at her and she giggled in reply. Just then, she noticed something that would take away her peace.

A woman on the table across from them was staring at him unashamedly. He was a pro, of course, he had seen it way before she did, but he made a point of not giving the lady the green light and kept his eyes fixated on Rogue instead.

"Am I invisible? What on Earth! The rings didn't work." She commented irritated. There was no need to explain, Remy knew what she was talking about. The lady in question was unabashedly staring at him and pursing her lips when Anna stole another glance her way. It made her mad. She hated the other woman's brazen flirting style. It awakened in her some feeling of… possession. That man was hers, had been hers, would still be hers, someday, perhaps. She sighed audibly. There was no logic to it, she felt jealous even if she knew she had no business feeling that way.

"Maybe the lady thinks you're my sister, or something. You're the one who ensures that we act like friends, like this is just dinner..." He gazed the woman's way briefly.

'It never is'. She thought to herself, but wouldn't admit it for his benefit. It upset her because that particular evening was going pretty well, above all expectations. There had been no tension, just casual talking, she had been definitely having fun with her best friend, until that… bitch!

Noticing her stillness and unusual silence, he asked her if she was all right. To that purpose, he reached out for her hand and held it lightly. That was it. The fucking unnecessary touch. It was electric. She gulped for air and he noticed it, watching her intently, he couldn't stop his lips stretching into a flirty grin.

"Are you okay, chére?" He repeated the question. Her shiny green eyes were cemented to his, and she felt completely helpless. A curious wrenching within her heart, a throbbing need between her legs. She could feel her underwear getting wet. Her breasts rising and falling rapidly. 'Fuck!' She cursed inside her head. 'This can't be happening. Anna, get a grip.' She could hardly believe she was that turned on, just because another woman wanted her man. The only problem was that he was not hers! Or so she tried hard to believe.

"Sorry, sugar. I… I'm… I'm alright." She lied. He gently squeezed her hands that were still in his, the brief moment their eyes made contact, she looked away.

"Chére, I'm here with you tonight, okay? Is that lady bothering you? We could change tables, I could ask the waiter to politely tell her you're my wife and ask her to stop the flirting, or…"

"No, it's fine. I'm going to the ladies' for a second. Try not to make it obvious if when I return, you already have her number, okay?"

She headed to the bathroom, and locked herself in a toilet cabin. She sighed deeply, running her hands through her hair. She contemplated what her next step would be when she heard casual talk outside.

"Mr. Winter told us tonight's lady is his wife! Can you believe it? His wife!"

"She's so pretty, why would he cheat on her? Men are awful, no matter how perfect a woman is, the grass is always greener on the other side… I always thought he was single, now, I have no sympathy for him any longer."

"I'd still fuck him if he would have me."

"You're terrible, Cindy! Terrible!"

The two ladies left, laughing out loud. Rogue left the cabin and stared at herself in the mirror. Driven by sudden determination, she returned to her chair, eyeing him curiously as she did so.

"Remy, it's been fun but it's getting late, I have a meeting early tomorrow. Maybe I should get going."

"Is that so?" He asked mockingly.

"Ok, here's the thing. There's no point in lying to you. I know I have no right, but I'm feeling jealous."

"No shit! Who could tell?" He smirked at her. Another playful kick from under the table.

"Don't be so self-conceited, sugar. That's supposed to be the part where you fake surprise." She said, only to go and impersonate him. "Chére, you? Jealous of me?" A lopsided grin adorned her lips. They shared a laugh. He leaned closer and held her chin with one finger making her look at him in the eyes. Hers burned with desire as she fixed her gaze on him. That did it, he'd started the mind fuck games already, it was pointless resisting, she knew his modus operandi very well.

"Maybe we could go back to my place and I'll show you just how much you have nothing to fear. No need to be jealous, chére. This Cajun here is always ready for you and you know it. "

"That straightforward, Remy? You must be crazy if you believe for a split second that I'm going to say 'yes' to your proposition just like that." She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "Besides, you're ready for me and all other ladies in New York from what I hear." She said bitterly.

"Chére!" He called out as she stood and made her way out.

"Don't chére me, Gambit." She barked at him, the people in the restaurant stared at them. He left money on the table and followed her out.

In the blink of an eye, he caught up with her and held her arm. She turned around, pulling her arm away from his hold and stared at him wildly. Fuck, how she missed him! With her busy schedule, she hadn't thought about him in this way for some time, but with all those poor imitations of what a man should be like surrounding her, the thought of a real man, her only possible match, was hard to resist.

"Remy, I… I don't wanna deal with this right now." And with those words, she continued marching away purposefully. He didn't follow her this time.

"I doubt it," he told her. "I doubt you'll go to your tall tower and sleep peacefully with all these feelings trapped inside of you unless you could just agree to turn around and come with me." His words resounded powerfully within her body, heart and soul. And before she could help herself, she turned around, her eyes glinting. Remy had this ecstatic expression of renewed life on his face.

They walked towards one another until they touched. Their hearts pounded together as their bodies met, and his hand swept down the bend of her neck, holding her in place as his lips crashed into hers. The second their lips met, arousal spiked through Remy's body, rushing through his veins with the power of a volcano in eruption. He pulled the object of his adoration closer as his lips crashed over hers, stealing away all her coherent thoughts.

"Is the offer still up?" She asked him in between kisses.

-0-

They entered his flat and the cats were all over her in a second.

"You know these bastards don't welcome anybody but you, don't you?" Anna smiled. She crouched down and played with them for a while.

"So, chére, here we are, my humble abode." Before he could elaborate any further, she lunged at him. The warmth of her mouth was on his before he could blink, wrestling needy kisses as her hands greedily roamed his body. She freed him from his coat and shirt, all the while drawing him into her mouth, ravaging his tongue with hers. Lust clutched at her desperately, her brain wracking into overload. He, on his end, had no thought but to get her naked underneath his own body. He took a handful of Rogue's hair and pulled her ear up close to his mouth.

"I want you, Anna." His powerful arms encircled her tiny waist and she moaned at the sensation his warm breath on her ear evoked.

"And I want nothing but to submit to your every wish." She said, her left hand sliding up his throat as he kissed her way up his neck then whispering in his ear what dirty plans she was entertaining for that evening. She wanted to play the submissive, he didn't need much more incentive to go into a dominant mode.

"There's my good girl." He commented appreciatively. He had no idea where that was coming from, but wouldn't question it. She had confessed back in the day her desire to be submissive to a dominant male that she trusted and respected. That male, to that very day, had only been him.

He ordered her to undress herself, which she did as requested.

"Drop down to your knees and suck me dry." Again, she did as she was told, holding his throbbing member in her hands, she sucked it enthusiasticly. It wasn't long until drops of his essence leaked into her mouth and she eagerly swallowed them down, taking his length deeper still. His fingers wound into her hair and he praised her for the good job she'd done. She looked up at him expectantly, licking her swollen red lips, she waited for his next move.

'Mon Dieu! I love this woman and I know she loves this kind of kinky sex.' Even though he deep inside preferred to love her body tenderly, make love to her, he knew being submissive was the antidote to her demanding lifestyle. Being the leader of teams several times, when in the arms of the man she trusted, she wanted nothing but to be cared for, and told what to do.

He preferred that she did as she pleased with herself with little guidance from him during sex. If she wanted to place her hands on his back, run her fingers through his hair, or change positions she would simply do it without soliciting him. But, oh boy, not when they were playing these games... Even though he had his own preferences, there was no denying that domineering that beautiful powerful woman was mind-blowing. Knowing that he was the one she chose to let loose her wildest fantasies was undoubtedly the best feeling in the world.

"Walk to my bed and kneel on it." He commanded, salivating as he watched her bared behind, he thought of all the things he'd do to her. She obeyed without a word. "Hold on to the headboard and whatever you do, do not let go!", he added.

His lips went straight for her sex and he licked and sucked at her every entrance. She moaned loud, arching her back, and her hips moved back and forth of their own accord.

"Hold still, do not move!" She couldn't help her moves and he reprimanded her with a stingy slap on her ass. She groaned in pain and pleasure.

"You know you gotta do as I say, mon amour. Or we aren't playing this game no more." He spoke softly in her ear, letting go of his role for a moment.

"Sorry, my master. It won't happen again." He wanted to burst into laughter, but he knew it'd ruin the experience for her. He had her call him master all the way back when they played sub-dom games when they were last together.

Pulling her hair rather violently, he traced her throat up with his tongue and added. "You make sure it doesn't." And then, he bit her hard on her shoulder, before slipping a finger in her ass. She gasped and he slid it in and out at a maddening rhythm. Gone were the 'chéres' and 'mon amours', and that situation turned her knees to jelly.

"Spread your knees apart, and bend down a little so I can enter you." He commanded, his tone was imposing, assertive. He entered her with full force, sliding into her easily as she was so very ready for him. He thrust hardly into her, their hips rocking in unison, bodies in a trance. She came hard, it was like falling into an abyss of emotions. Her cries of pleasure intoxicated him and kept him going until dawn. There had been ropes, and blindfolds. Bondage tapes and handcuffs. She surrendered her body to him that night, knowing that man she truly loved and respected would take care of her, knowing exactly when not to cross the line.

By taking control, he knew he was accepting the responsibility for the quality of the sex they were having. It is entirely on him for his chére to have a good time. He knew Anna needed this, she needed for him to take on the burden and free her up to do nothing more than experience and enjoy. Only that way she could entirely shut off her brain, and submit. And forget. Forget about the heavy weight she carried on her shoulders, the need to save the day, forget all the troubles of their own relationship and conflicting jealousy she felt at times. That's probably why she switched into a submissive role in the first place.

The truth of this game she liked to play was that in her submitting to him, she submitted to herself, letting her need for control go and becoming entirely free. This amount of trust is not something to take lightly, he knew.

He was growing exhausted himself, when he realized that his most beautiful toy was worn out and needed rest. He saw the little bruises she had on her ass, waist and wrists and kissed each one of them devotedly, that was their code for 'game is over.' He was back to devoted boyfriend role, except that, he was not her boyfriend anymore. He suggested they went to sleep and she agreed.

It had been so long since she last spent the night over. They cuddled up in bed, and his fingers caressed her hair lovingly and he planted little kisses on the back of her neck until she finally drifted off, only then he allowed himself to succumb to sleep.

The next morning she was up and ready to go before he woke up but she waited for him.

"I have to go Remy, but I just wanted to say… thank you, thank you for the wonderful night." She said as soon as he opened his eyes. He insisted she stayed for breakfast, but she said she really did have a meeting in the morning and was already late.

"I guess I'll see you around." She said at his door. He pulled her against his chest one last time and kissed her fervently. Then, finally, watched her go, taking with her a piece of his heart. Little did he know that hers was incomplete as well and ached, more and more, at each step she took away from him.

-O-

Author's Notes:

Happy Valentine's, everyone! Here's my two cents. Rogue mentioned kinky games on panel after she got freed of a situation, quote "Thank Remy LeBeau and all those kinky bondage drinking games" so that's why I wanted to include this vanilla BDSM version of them together.