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“Ya know what, LeBeau, you didn’t even give me a chance to explain!”
“Chere?”
Gambit stumbled back from the door after Rogue threw it open. He was uncharacteristically off balance, and that gave her a chance to get her own bearings. And look him over.
She could see by the look in his eyes that he doubted she was real. He looked like he was trying to suppress a smile, and wouldn’t it be just like him to enjoy her all fired up. Rogue had spent most of the trek over here convincing herself 'remain calm, no matter what'. That hadn’t happened, and it wasn’t even his fault. Not directly. Just the thought of him unlocked intensity throughout her body.
The closer she got to his door, the more the nerves took over. She got herself pretty worked up before he even could.
Before he *would*. Because of course he would. He always had.
Even when he was just looking at her, like he was now. She ought to speak. One of them ought to speak.
“You saw him touch me and lashed out.”
“Helluva a ‘hello’, darling.”
“Ah’m not gonna back offa this, Gambit, so you might as well—.”
“What? Admit I was hurt? You already know it. Dat why you came here, chere?”
Rogue’s heart twisted at the genuine confusion on his face. “Of course not.”
There was a reason Erik sent her on this trip, and it wasn’t just because they hoped Gambit wouldn’t say ‘no’ to her. Rogue believed Magneto thought he owed them both something.
The night they talked about their dreams for the future, Erik had seemed sad. She thought he knew she was hiding something from him. But he didn’t know her well enough to know when she was lying. Rogue had realized quickly that the novelty of his touch was just that. She had been proud to stay by Magneto’s side, keep her promise to Wanda, and build on the hope his friend Charles had instilled in him. Never the type to be resigned, she believed in tomorrow.
And she wanted more than just to survive.
That night, she realized why people like Erik have to be alone.
To block out the fear and the hurt, he focused on one point on the horizon. His tunnel vision couldn’t widen to include her hopes and dreams. Rogue would always support Erik, but she wouldn’t be his peace at the forfeiture of her own happiness. Then when Remy walked away, she had to make that sacrifice anyway.
“I tried to be okay with it, chere. But then Wolverine said—.”
“He was playing you! Ah was doing exactly what you would have done. Hell, what you had all of us do just the night before! Save. Erik. First. Ah was gonna come back for you, Remy. Ah was keeping my promise to Wanda, and to you! Then, you got away anyway, and then you see a lil’ skin, an’ you got further away!”
“I can’t help I’m jealous, Rogue. Ain’t never been in love before, and it came out in all kinds of wild ways.”
She knew they weren’t far apart on being intimate with the feeling of losing control because of love. “But then you wouldn’t even let me show you. Give me a chance—.”
“You said yourself you can’t.”
Rogue didn’t point out that was before Erik’s discovery. Instead, she called Remy out. “And you said that was ok by you.”
“It was! Rogue, I’ve had lovers—.”
“Ah haven’t!”
“….and I know there’s more to life than just dat. More to us. Or so I thought. What, now you come here to tell me you need to sow some oats?”
She put her hands on her hips. Serenity was a failed mission, even though she reminded herself she had the chance to think of what she wanted to say; he was just reacting. But her cheeks were on fire, so logic didn’t matter. “And what if Ah told you that’s just what Ah’ve done.”
Her stomach turned over at the hurt in his eyes. She took a steadying breath, then tried again. “Ah shouldn’t have slapped you.” Rogue didn’t realize how quietly she spoke until he moved closer, leaning into her.
“Of course you should have.” He smirked.
That pained her. “No, Remy. Ah never wanted to touch you with anything other than love. You jus’ made me so mad—.”
“The truth’ll do just dat.”
“Dang it, you impossible man, Ah knew you were trin’ ta make distance, and Ah had to let you.”
“Because if you love something, set it free?”
“Nah, sugah, that’s your thing. Mine was because Ah needed a minute to figure things out. The hope Ah felt when Erik touched me—.”
“I get it.” Remy waived his hand dismissively, and cast his eyes down.
She hated his subdued behavior, but loved that he had always been vulnerable with her.
“You don’t.”
He met her gaze again. He stole her breath. And when he spoke, she could hear he was teasing her. “Do you really think this is what we ought to be focused on right now?”
“Ah sure do. Because without you, what’s the point?”
She reached out with a bare hand. Polaris’s powers worked a lot like Erik’s. The hope she felt when Erik touched her wasn’t a spark; it was a realization.
Wide eyed, Remy touched his fingertips to hers. And they both felt a jolt. The manifestation of their powers mixing was unexpected, but something she could live with. He raised his eyebrows suggestively. “Well, ain’t that something. Gives one ideas….”
Rogue smiled broadly. “But first, we have a job to do.”
She laid everything out. Erik’s thoughts on the M’krann Crystal, their teams, strategies…. Then she diverged from the plan. “And Ah’m coming with you to get that shard.” She felt a fissure in the air. Her goosebumps told her destiny had just changed.
Her hope let her believe it was for the better.