Chapter Text
There is a soft knock at the door. Rogue doesn’t have to ask who it was. Only one person would have the gumption to come to her knowing she was in a mood.
“I ain’t home,” she replies to the closed door.
“Oh, c’mon, chere,” a voice from the other side calls. “I know you ain’t gon’ tell your Remy go ‘way.”
She rolls her eyes, knowing he wasn’t going anywhere til she spoke with him. “Fine. C’mon in.”
Remy quickly and quietly enters the room, finding her curled up and facing away from the door. He sits on the bed, but she refuses to turn to see him.
“Mon coeur, wanna tell me why you ran off?” he asks. He knows the answer, but wants her to say it.
Rogue sighs. “You know why.”
“Mebbe. But mebbe Gambit needs you to explain.”
Slowly she rolls to face him. “Scott and Jean are off to their honeymoon.”
“Oui.”
“And that’s somethin’ that I ain’t ever gonna get.”
Remy’s eyes widen just a bit.
Rogue rolls her eyes again. “Oh, shut it, Rem. I ain’t askin’ you to propose! But the fact remains that I can’t have that. And if you ever were thinkin’ of… well…” She gets quieter. “I can’t give you a proper honeymoon.”
He places a hand on her arm, ignoring her flinch. He’d grown used to it by now. “Rogue, mon amour, why don’ you let Gambit decide what he want for a “proper” honeymoon?”
She chuckles sardonically. “Remy, I love you, but ain’t no way you ain’t expectin’ somethin’ to happen on your weddin’ night… in your marriage.”
“You makin’ an awful lot of decisions for Gambit today, chere.”
“Someone has to,” she muttered. “Ain’t makin’ great ones lately.”
He sighs. “You remember what I told you when you woke up in de medbay few weeks ago?”
She shrugs, knowing exactly what he’s referring to, but wanting to avoid saying it.
“You scared de hell out of me that day. I didn’ think you was wakin’ up. Til I saw those pretty green eyes again.”
Flashback…
Rogue slowly opened her eyes and immediately regretted it. Why did it seem so bright? Then she felt a presence next to her and someone holding her hand. She shifted slightly to see who it was and found Remy asleep in the chair next to her. He was bent over with his head resting on the bed.
“Remy?” she whispered with a rasp.
“Chere?” he murmured, raising his head.
“What’re you doin’ here? What’m I doin’ here?”
“You don’ remember?”
“Um, well, we were fightin’ that big guy and… ooh, feels like I got thrown against a big rock and then hit with another big rock,” she said, rubbing her head gently.
Beast entered the room then. “That is actually an excellent summation of the events that led to you being here.”
Gambit sat straight up. “Hank? Is she gon’ be ok?”
Hank chuckled. Of course Remy was with her. “Yes, I believe she’ll be fine. Nothing a good rest in the medbay won’t help. But if not for your durability, my dear, the consequences would have been much greater. A concussion would have been the least of our worries. And because of that, I think maybe Mr. LeBeau should say good night soon.”
“All right, doc,” Gambit replied. “Just a few minutes first.”
Hank’s expression softened. “That’s certainly fine. I shall check on you in the morning, Rogue. Call if you need anything. Good night to you both.”
And with that, he left.
“Alone at last, eh, chere?” he said with a wink and that tone and that honey-coated accent that made her weak in the knees, even if she tried to hide it.
It was then that Rogue noticed that Gambit was still in his full uniform, duster and all. He must have never left her side once she was injured. She decided not to think about that at the moment.
“Yeah, but you heard the good doctor. You gotta go,” she replied, hoping to end whatever conversation this was.
“Well, Gambit had one more thing to ask before he go.”
“And what’s that, shugah?”
Gambit hummed happily. “I do love it when you call me that.”
The blush that crossed her cheeks did not go unnoticed by him.
“I’m thinkin’ these days that maybe you an’ me should be an item.”
“An ‘item’? Ain’t you the romantic?”
“What you want me to call it? Boyfriend/girlfriend? Chere, I don’ care what label you put on it. I just want you to be my one and only.”
“Shugah, you don’t know what you’re askin’.”
“The hell I don’! Gambit ain’t the type to not know what he want. I know it’s you, Rogue. Always have.”
She shook her head and sighed. “Do you even know what self-preservation is?”
He shugged and grinned. “My track record don’ seem to show it.”
“Tu es fou,” she responded. (You’re crazy)
“Usin’ français ain’t gonna distract me. Though, we gon’ talk soon ‘bout when you learned it,” he added with a raised eyebrow. “Chere, c’mon now. Let’s stop dancin’ ‘round this. Remy loves you and he pretty sure you love him too. Why cantchu just do me the honor of sayin’ you wanna be with me?”
“Of course I wanna be with you! But, Rem, you know why. I can’t even touch you!”
“So because of that, I get no say in this? Rogue, I’m in love with you!”
His confession made her gasp a little. The way he said it now, with such conviction, it made her rethink everything. She believed it even more now than when he said it when they were captured with no powers and they shared a consequence-free kiss.
She panicked and turned away.
“Anna Marie, look at me!”
That caught her attention. She turned back with wide eyes.
“Listen to me. I know you think that your powers are somethin’ you can’t overcome. But that don’ matter to Remy. I love you just the way you are. Is that clear?”
She sighed in defeat. She couldn’t deny her feelings or his any longer. “It ain’t gonna be easy, Remy. I’m a handful even without my powers,” she said with a grin.
He smiled back. “This I already know, chere. But Gambit thinks he got the energy to keep up.”
Rogue chuckled a little and put her gloved hand on his cheek. He lovingly leaned against it. “See, mon coeur, you touchin’ me.” (my heart)
“Not how I want.”
“Remy LeBeau never backs down from a challenge. You can count on this: Someday, we gon’ touch… skin to skin, chere.”
There was that damn tone again.
She shivered a little at his implication. “Then I guess I’m countin’ on you, Cajun.”
“You always can, chere. Always. Now, perhaps I gotta take my leave before Dr. Hank returns and has my hide. But until the morning…” He lifted her gloved hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “…bonne nuit, mon belle. je t'aime.” (Good night, my dear. I love you)
Rogue yawned as he stood to leave. “G’night, swamp rat. I love you too.”
Back to present…
“So? What about that day?” she asks. “You told me you love me. And I love you too. But sometimes it just ain’t enough, shugah.”
“Perhaps, chere, but this ain’t one of those times. I know you disappointed about how things are. But didn’ I tell you to count on ol’ Remy? I got ideas in the works. For now, though, I need you to trust Gambit. D'accord?” (OK?)
She sighs. “I’m sorry, Remy. I make things so much more complicated than they need to be.”
“Mon amour, it ain’t like Remy don’ bring no baggage to this relationship. You and I, well, we just gotta carry each other through some things. Comprendre?” (understand?)
“Yeah, I understand.” She drops her head, still a little ashamed of her tantrum. “And I’m still—”
He carefully covers her mouth with the gloved part of his finger. “Shhh, no more apologies. Clean slate.” He smirked. “Oui?”
“Oui.”
“Bon. Now, get yourself into somethin’ just barely appropriate and Gambit’s gonna take you out to dinner.”
“Anything in mind?”
He laughs again. “Well, look in your closet, chere. You might find somethin’. I’m gonna get changed too. Gotta look sharp for ma belle copine, non?” (my beautiful girlfriend)
“All right, shugah, get movin’. I’m suddenly pretty hungry.”
‘Mmm, me too, chere,’ he thinks to himself.
He places a careful kiss to the top of her head, thankful for all that hair blocking her skin. “See you in a few.”
He rushes out then, glad to have gotten Rogue out of her funk. He had a feeling she would end up sad after Scott and Jean left for their honeymoon. She had been ok at the wedding the day before, but he knew she couldn’t keep up the charade for long. So he made big plans for that night and he needed her in a good mood.
He hurries to his room and puts on his best suit, knowing full well how much she loves him in it. He wonders if she’s found her present yet…
Back in Rogue’s room, she opens her closet door to find the most stunning green gown she’s ever seen. Its sleeveless and floor length with a slit up the side that’s almost too high and a neck line that almost too low. Now she understands why he said something “just barely appropriate.” This certainly fit the bill. It, of course, fits her perfectly and she feels quite beautiful in it. It even had elbow length matching gloves. He thought of it all.
She puts on her strappy heels, does a bit of makeup, and heads out to meet him.
He whistles low when he sees her. “Oh mon Dieu, Rogue. You lookin’ like an angel straight outta heaven in that dress.”
She giggles. “I don’t think they wear dresses like this in heaven.”
“Well, then, hottest devil I ever seen! You ready to go, mon petit diable?” (my little devil)
“Sure, swamp rat. Where we goin’?”
“That’s part of the surprise. Oh! And before we go…” He reaches into his jacket pocket, around the deck of cards, just in case, and finds the box with the necklace he intended to give her. It was a beautiful gold chain with a large teardrop shaped emerald hanging from it.
“Remy! It’s gorgeous!” She pauses. “Do I wanna know how you got it?”
“Bought and paid for with my own hard earned money!”
She rolls her eyes. “Hard earned… right.”
‘Old habits die hard with this one,’ she sighs to herself. But she turns around and holds up her hair anyway. “Put it on me?” And she quickly adds, “Carefully.”
Remy gladly stands behind her and carefully closes the chain. He kisses the clasp before letting it fall to her neck. She shivers with how close he is. No one ever has the bravery (or the stupidity) to do this.
He presents his elbow to her. “Shall we go, mon bijou?” (My jewel)
She slips her arm through his, grateful for his jacket and her long gloves. “I think we shall.”
Dinner is, of course, fancy, wonderful, and more expensive than she would have liked. But he’s so happy to have brought her here that she can’t say anything about it. And when they return to the mansion, Gambit spins her under his arm and then kisses her hand.
“Now, chere, here’s what Gambit want you to do. You go back to your room, and you change into the comfiest clothes you got.”
“Wait, what? Why?”
“You always gotta have all the answers, dontchu, woman?”
She grins. “Are you new?”
“Look, there’s one more part to Remy’s surprise. So go get comfortable, oui? Only comfy clothes.”
She gives him an odd look. “Well, alright. I’ll see ya in there?”
“Oui. I’m gonna changed as well. Be right back.”
Rogue had no idea what to expect at this point. But she goes into her room, takes off the exquisite dress, and puts on a t-shirt and a pair of yoga pants.
“I guess this is what he means,” she sighs to herself as she lies on the bed.
Before she knows it, he’s knocking on her door.
“C’mon in, Rem!”
When he enters the room, her breath catches. He’s dressed in a long sleeve black turtleneck and simple gray sweatpants. Even so simply dressed, he still looks like walking sex.
Rogue manages to find her voice and tries to sound casual. “So, what’s on the agenda now, shug?”
He joins her on the bed and stretches out next to her. “Well, Gambit wanna try somethin’. But only if you’re game.”
She tenses a bit, but her curiosity is piqued. “Well, I guess we need to see what you’ve got in mind.”
“Ok, chere, relax for me.” He lowers his head and begins to pepper kisses along her collarbone, careful to stay on her shirt.
“R- Remy? Whatcha doin’?”
“Makin’ you feel good, I hope,” he replies, his voice dripping with desire already.
His hand begins to travel up her side and she tenses.
He pauses, if just for a moment. “You ok, amour?”
“Um, yes, yeah I’m ok.”
“You can tell me to stop at any time, d'accord?”
She nods her head, unable to really speak at the moment.
He feels terrible yet wonderful at the same time. It was such a shame that she hadn’t really felt someone’s loving touch since that Cody debacle. But he was honored that he was the first one to finally give her this feeling.
He moves his hand to the side of her breast and she jumps.
“Calm down, chere. Gambit’s got you. We go at your pace.”
“I know. It’s just new and I feel a little silly, makin’ such a fuss…”
“Rogue, there is nuttin’ to be ashamed of. It ain’t your fault that you haven’t gotten to do this. Gambit just aimin’ to fix that. But only as far as you’re comfortable. You still good?”
She nods slowly, slightly overwhelmed by the love in his eyes, even behind the odd coloring.
“Keep goin’, shugah.”
It takes everything he has not to pull her into a passionate kiss. But that was a different stage of his plan that he hadn’t worked out yet. Gambit was a patient man, though. He’d get them there.
For now, he returns his hand to her side and began exploring again. She whines when he stops, but raises an eyebrow when he reaches over and pulls on a thin pair of gloves.
“Well, chere, let’s see where Gambit can touch now…”
His Cheshire grin takes over his face as his nimble and covered fingers make her scream his name.
“Well, I think you ruined that glove, chere,” he says with a chuckle.
“I hope you bought more,” she giggles as she catches her breath.
“Mon coeur, I bought 5 pair to start!” he replies as he pulls another on.
Rogue laughs, then stills. “I wish I could kiss you.”
“Me too, chere, but I think we still made good progress, non?”
“Hell of a surprise you had there!”
He chuckles. “Well, that was phase 1 of my plan. Gambit gotta admit, the rest ain’t totally worked out yet, but I didn’ want to keep you waitin’.”
Intrigued, she raises an eyebrow. “What’re the other phases?”
“Phase 2 is gettin’ to kiss you. I got ideas, but nuttin’ that’s solid yet. Phase 3… well, that’s gonna be all the touchin’ you been wantin’ to do. But Gambit wanna make sure neither of our powers are gonna get in de way of that.”
“You don’t wanna charge me up?” she teases.
“Well, not too much,” he says, holding up his hand and letting his fingertips spark a bit.
“It’s a good thought, though,” she says with a wink.
“Ooh, girl, I like de way you think. But we gotta get through de other parts first. Then, then we can start experimentin’ with powers.”
She shivers again, then looks up at him through her lashes. “Remy?”
“Oui, mon amour?”
“Do you… nah, never mind.”
“Quoi? After all that, you nervous to ask Gambit somethin’?”
“Well, I was just thinkin’… maybe… you could stay the night?”
He smiles. “Rogue, why you think I’m wearing these sleeves and pants? I was hopin’ you’d ask that.”
“God, Remy, you’re thinkin’ of everythin’ tonight!”
“I try, chere. I try. Maybe in de mornin’, we try a little more of phase 1. Gambit still gotta see what’s under that shirt.”
She winks. “And Rogue still gotta see what’s in those sweatpants.”
“Ooh, you gonna be a temptress now, ain’t cha? Remy thinks maybe he gotta tiger by de tail.”
“Maybe? I think you always knew that, Cajun.”
He chuckles. His girl was definitely back.
“But for now,” she begins as she carefully puts her head on his shoulder. “Now I think some sleep sounds heavenly.”
“I think this sounds heavenly,” he says as he pulls her close.
She absentmindedly draws figures on his chest. “I love you, swamp rat.”
“And I love you, ma raison de vivre.” (My reason for living)
Rogue yawns and the drawing slows until finally he feels her breathing even out and her drawing stop. His heart is full as he holds her. There’s still a long road ahead of them, but his girl is sleeping in his arms and for now, it’s enough.