He wasn't specifically seeking him out. Not really. He had a job, a mission, and this ... this was just a side trip, to a place he might be. It'd been half a year, give or take a month, since the first time he and Rogue had ... been physical. Over the course of the months, there had been other times. Lots of them.
Gambit still came up, in course of conversation. He didn't know if it was deliberate, or not, if she was dropping hints, or simply making girlish confessions. Either way, the implications had niggled into his subconscious mind, and thus the side trip. Rogue was still hot for Gambit, had too many questions, questions that he - Logan - couldn't (in some cases, wouldn't), answer.
Four months of that had been enough to drive him crazy. Especially because he knew (well, was pretty sure), Gambit wasn't any good for her. But the girl had latched onto it, and wouldn't let it go. So Logan decided he'd go see if he could find Gambit, or at least what he was up to, so he'd have more definitive answers for Rogue.
So it was that he was driving through downtown New Orleans, seeking the famous Thieves Guild that he knew Remy (aka, Gambit) was (or had been) part of. It wasn't hard to find - at least for him. Getting in wasn't hard, either, but he was careful not to drop any names. Not yet. He wanted to sniff around (literally, really), to see if Remy had even been here lately.
** ** **
Settled at a bar, nursing a beer, he listened to the conversations of passers-by. Most of it didn't mean anything to him. None of it pertained to his mini-quest. Remy's name never came up, and he sure didn't smell the kid anywhere. He wondered what happened. Had there been some sort of falling out? Was that why the kid was even in his neck of the woods to begin with?
Maybe it was time to ask a few questions ...
** ** **
It hadn't been hard to piece together what had happened. People liked to talk, and the right question to the right ear (or the right claw to the right groin ...) could be so very beneficial. He learned that Remy's marriage had broken up, and there had been some issues between the Assassins and the Thieves Guilds, and Remy had taken off.
So he was a free man - at least in that regard. Logan wanted to keep that little gem away from Rogue, then wondered why it mattered. If he wasn't here, Logan had no idea where to find him, and he sure as hell wasn't going to scour the country for him, just to bring him back to Rogue. Oh hell no. Rogue was his, and he didn't share.
But he'd return to her, with answers. If nothing else, he'd give her that.
** ** **
He was on his way home. Home. It was still strange to think of the school as such, but that's what it had become. His thoughts turned to Rogue, as they so often did, and he smiled. He was looking forward to their reunion. Tomorrow. Even if he pushed all night, it would still be tomorrow, and he was inclined to rest first.
He found a hotel, near a bar (what other kind would he consider, after all?). After the tedium of checking in, enduring the suspicious looks (he was such a criminal look-alike, after all), he made his way to the bar. Because, come on. Bar.
Ordering a beer, he looked around the bar while waiting. And - oh hell no. A too-familiar scent caught his nose, and he turned his head. Eyes fixed on Remy, and he groaned. Sure, he couldn't find the kid when he was looking for him, but now that he was on his way home with images of Rogue writhing beneath him ... the kid shows up? What the hell kind of bad karma did he have?
Remy felt Logan's gaze, and he lifted his head. Shaggy as his hair was, it didn't hide the worst of the bruising on his face. A black eye, a bloodied lip, heavy bruises on his throat, and that's all that Logan could see.
"Someone mistake you for a punchin' bag, kid?" He grabbed his beer off the bar, and wandered over to him, plunking down in front of him, effectively barring his escape. Not that he thought the kid would run, but you never knew.
"Something like that, oui." He jerked his chin up. "What're you doin' here, mon ami? Trailing me? Gonna drag me back there? I ain't goin'."
"Drag you back where? New Orleans? Not likely. I'm headed the other way." He hesitated. He could invite the kid back to the school - Charles understood the situation. It had been a misunderstanding, they saw that. The kid would be welcome. Hell, even if it hadn't been a misunderstanding, a cell was better than the streets, but he wasn't about to lock the poor guy up.
But inviting him back to the school, meant exposing him to Rogue again. He didn't want to lose the girl. He didn't want competition. But maybe if she got to know him ... he wouldn't seem quite so charming. Hm. "You got a room?"
"It takes money to get a room. I ain't got none." He really was hard off; running out on Bella was not the brightest thing he'd ever done. He had a lot of enemies, now, and being on the run all the time just ... blew.
Logan nodded. "I'll take you to the school."
"I ain't goin' back there." Was he fucking crazy? "They tried t'kill me."
"They did not. They locked you in a cell for a few days, before you let yourself out." He wasn't inclined to argue too hard to persuade Remy to come along with him - he didn't really care, after all.
"Oui, but before that, they tried t'kill me."
"Because you were trying to kill them. Are you coming, or should I leave you here to be someone else's punching bag?"
His jaw set, and he sighed. He was out of options, and he'd be a fool to refuse that. If nothing else, it was protection (for a while), and a free ride to somewhere that wasn't here. A sigh of resignation, before he spoke. "I'll go."
With a nod, Logan tossed him the room key. "You'd better let me in. Go on." He moved out of Remy's way. He still had a lot of drinking to do. More, now, because he was pretty sure he'd just done the stupidest thing. Ever. He knew he'd all but lost Rogue, and that hurt.
He tried to hold onto the hope that she'd discover Remy was a complete asshole, and she'd want nothing to do with him, but he knew that was just wishful thinking. Puppy love, kitten lust, whatever the girl had for Remy, she had it bad.
Blue eyes followed Remy as he left the bar, and Logan ordered himself a few more beers. It was going to be a while before he followed.
** ** **
It was a quiet ride back. Logan was lost in his own thoughts, and Remy never had been big on conversation. The boy - well, man; he should stop thinking of him as a child, but hell, he still thought of Rogue as one - was huddled up against the door, his eyes fixed out the window. Or asleep. Logan couldn't really tell. Didn't really care. He was quiet, and that was all that mattered.
Not too much later, they pulled into the driveway to the school. He parked the truck, and got out, starting for the door. To his credit, he did pause to see if Remy was coming. The boy (man. whatever) was following, but more slowly. "Get the lead out. I'm not waiting all day."
He ignored the boy's single-digit salute, and moved to the door, which was already opening.
Barefoot, dressed in her nightgown, Rogue launched herself at Logan. Arms and legs wrapped around him, and deliciously soft, warm lips claimed his.
He knew she hadn't seen him yet, but that didn't stop him from wrapping his arms around her, returning the kiss hotly, fiercely, until he felt her stiffen and still in his arms. Now she'd seen him. He slackened his hold on her, enough that she could slide down, her gown catching on his beltbuckle, hiking up, exposing her lack of panties before she hastily fixed her clothing.
"Gambit."
Remy turned his eyes to the girl, and offered a slight nod. He recognized her. She was the one ... the one who'd come to his cell, and later opened the gate for him. Rogue, if he wasn't mistaken. "Ma cherie. A pleasure to see you again, and under such better circumstances, non?"
Logan stepped around her. That had hurt more than he anticipated it would. Fuck. Just...fuck. "C'mon, Remy."
Rogue stepped back, letting them both pass, biting at her lower lip. "Logan.."
He waved her off, and she deflated a little. Mostly though, she was confused. She'd thought he was on a mission, not to bring a guest here. Unless that had been the mission? She stared after them, heart fluttering as Remy turned to wink at her.
Suddenly, she felt very torn. She liked Logan. Maybe even loved him a little, but Remy... she didn't know what she had for him, but she did know she wanted to get to know him better.
He'd dropped Remy off, rather unceremoniously, with Charles. Let the Professor worry about him. Logan didn't care. Charles had had a few questions. How had the mission gone, what had he discovered, the usual song-and-dance, but then, mercifully, he was allowed to escape. Part of him hoped he'd find Rogue on his way to his room, but part of him hoped not. He wanted her (oh God did he want her), but he didn't want the questions. He didn't want to hear about Gambit, and whatever she felt or thought she felt about him being here.
Upon reaching his door, he knew she was already in his room. It wasn't unusual. She usually was, after he returned, but he didn't think, this time, she'd be there. For a fraction of a second, he debated not going in, but it was his room.
He opened the door, and closed it behind him, locking it. "I didn't think you'd be here."
"Why not?" She was in his bed, under his covers, and he saw her nightgown pooled on the floor beside the bed. Aw, Christ.
"Because." He shrugged. "Thought you'd be sniffing around Remy, waiting for him to show up." He waited a moment, but she didn't answer. What would she have said, anyway? That she wasn't going to go after him? That she wasn't going to try to get to know him? That he was right, and this was his farewell fuck? "Get out." He muttered the words quietly.
His body denied the words. His cock was straining against his pants, and his pulse was quick, and he wanted nothing more than to join her in the bed, to forget for a few moments that anything was wrong between them. He wanted to bury himself inside of her, and kiss her, and take her, and claim her, but not ... not while her mind was on Remy.
"What?" She couldn't possibly have heard him right. She could see, even at this distance, the bulge in his pants, the way his shoulders were rising and falling with his quickened breath.
"Get out." The words again. Louder this time. He lifted his head, meeting her gaze.
She swallowed hard. There was something in his eyes, dark, unreadable. He'd never looked at her that way. Almost like he hated her. Or was hurt. "Logan."
"I said get the fuck out, Rogue. Don't make me tell you again." His hands curled into fists, and he watched her, waited.
She reached down, picking up her gown, sliding back into it. What the hell? "Logan..."
"I don't want to talk about it. Get out. Get out, and don't come back." He heard his voice crack, and hoped most sincerely that she did not.
She moved in slow motion, in disbelief, past him. She reached out, to touch him, but he jerked away. "What did I do wrong?"
"It's not you, kid. Just go."
She started to. She made it to the door, then turned to face him. His back was to her, his shoulders tense. "It's about Gambit."
It could've been a question, but it was a statement. "Yeah."
"Then it is me."
"...just go, Rogue." He silently thanked whatever higher power there was, as he heard her unlock the door, and step out. Once the door was closed, he moved to it, locking it again, before he moved to his bed. He wanted to scream, to stab, to slash, to kill something, but at the same time, he just wanted to cry. At least he made her go. So it wasn't the same as losing her, as losing her to Remy.
He flopped down on the bed. He could still smell her. He closed his eyes, and cried.
** ** **
Kicked out. What. The hell. Rogue stomped down the hall, though stomping fast lost its appeal - her bare feet weren't up for that abuse. She didn't understand. At all. She had been naked, and willing, and eager to have him, and then he told her to get out? To get out, and not come back. When she thought about that part of it, her stomach clenched and she felt sick.
He didn't mean it. He couldn't mean it. Not Logan. But then she recalled that look in his eyes. Maybe he did mean it.
She'd made it all the way to her room, and she leaned against the door. She could hear voices inside. Kitty and Jubes, probably, and she wasn't in any mood for company.
Or explanations. Jubes would have questions. Why was she back already, was Logan done already, had she told him she loved him yet (she so regretted sharing that little gem with Jubilee), and so on.
She couldn't handle it.
Her mind turned briefly to Bobby. If Kitty was in there, then she wasn't with Bobby. But Warren might be. She didn't have a ton of friends at school, and as she mentally went down the list, not a lot she'd want to talk to about this, anyway. Once upon a time, she might have gone to Jean, but...
... well.
She considered going to Scott, but he was so different, now. Darker. Almost cruel at times. The Professor wouldn't want to be bothered with her problems. She considered seeking out Storm, but before she could decide, one way or another, she heard him.
"You holdin' up that door for someone, cherie?"
Startled, she jumped. How long had he been standing there? She felt something tickle at her face, and she realized she was crying. Oh, Christ. "No..I just..."
"He kicked you out?"
Well, that was personal wasn't it? She lifted her eyes to him sharply, and wished she hadn't, as her gaze met his. She was very glad for the door, which was supporting her in place of her knees. So she shrugged in response.
"He's a grumpy fellow, non?" Remy closed the distance between them, without yet invading her personal space. "I never did thank you, ma cherie, for saving me that night." He lifted a hand, clad in a fingerless glove, and caught her chin gently.
She wanted to reply, to say it hadn't been anything, that he didn't need to thank her, but then his lips were on hers, and she was kissing him back. Her arms slipped around his shoulders, and she felt his around her waist, and she could taste his tongue, and she moaned quietly -
- and the door opened. "Rogue?"
Oh, shit.
She broke the kiss even as Remy pulled back, but somehow, their arms remained tangled around one another. "Yeah, Kitty." She turned her head to peer at her friend.
Kitty was joined by Jubilee, who quirked a brow, and pointed out: "That's not Logan."
"Non. I am Gambit. Or, as Logan knows me, Remy LeBeau." He released Rogue with a little wink before he nodded to the other girls.
"Jubilee. That's Kitty. I see you've met Rogue." And oh, boy did Rogue have some explaining to do. Jubilee pulled her into the room.
"'bye!" She managed to get out to Remy before she was trapped in her room, with her roommate and their friend.
** ** **
Jubilee hadn't been satisfied with her explanations. Kitty had been mostly indifferent, and eventually told Jubes to back off, wasn't it obvious Rogue was upset without being hammered for information. Jubilee wasn't inclined to let it go, but it was two against one, so she let it drop. For now. When they left for dinner, Rogue stayed behind, and Kitty promised to bring her something.
Despondant, and confused, Rogue curled up on her bed. She reached for a pair of her gloves, but she didn't put them on, she simply toyed with them, tugging on the fingers, gazing at the expanse of satin. It wasn't so very long ago, in the grand scheme of things, when she'd needed them. What did she need, now? So many thoughts chased each other around her head. Thoughts of Logan, that look in his eyes (had she hurt him that bad? Did he really care that much for her?), the way she missed him so much now, how afraid she was he'd meant it when he said don't come back. Those thoughts bled into thoughts of Remy. Gambit. Remy. Whatever he fancied himself. The way she felt when he kissed her, claimed her lips like that. What was that? Infatuation? Curiosity? But you didn't get hot from curiosity, did you?
Miserable, she flopped her head on the pillow, tossing the gloves back onto the nightstand.
She thought she fell asleep a little, because the next thing she knew, Kitty was shaking her shoulder gently. She had food for her. Rogue sat up, and smiled faintly to Kitty. "Where's Jubilee?"
"You know her..." Kitty's eyes flicked away.
Yeah. She knew her all right. "Did you at least try to stop her?" The words tumbled from her lips louder and harsher than she'd meant them to. Whatever she was off to do, it probably wasn't any good.
"Don't yell at me! You try stopping her when she's made up her mind to do something."
"I'm sorry." She hadn't meant to take it out on Kitty. "Did she say what she was planning on?"
"No. She never does."
Rogue sighed, taking the plate. Whatever it was, it was probably half-assed, and would fail. Logan knew her tricks by now. She hoped. The thought of Jubilee trying something with him, though, completely incensed her. In the aftermath of the burning anger, she thought she had a gleam of realization.
I'm here, aren't I? Words spoken almost casually, months ago, rang through her mind. He was here. He was here, and she should be with him. Maybe in another place, another time, another life, she might have been meant for Remy ... but not in this one. So she'd go fix it.
With a plan forming, she hurried to finish dinner before she left her room, to take her plate back to the kitchen. She wondered offhandedly how Kitty had managed to get food out in the first place, but ... maybe they'd made an exception or something. On her way back, she heard angry voices. Logan's, and ... Remy's. Oh god. Was this what Jubilee had done?
She changed course, bare feet carrying her toward the voices. The words were muffled, but the tone came through clear enough. She hurried, until she found them. The scene wasn't a pretty one, and for a moment, she was stunned.
Remy was backed up against the wall, Logan's extended claws pressed against his chest (but oh thank you God) not inside him. Yet. "LOGAN!" She crossed the distance to them.
At her voice, he let his claws retract, turning his eyes to her. Only for her, would he have done that, and she saw that in his eyes. She swallowed hard, and shook her head. "Leave him alone."
"I don't need a girl to fight my battles, cherie." Remy straightened his coat with a jerk, glaring daggers at Logan.
"No, but you needed one to save your life." She shot back at him. She was mad.
Logan barely hid a smile. There was his girl. His girl. He held out an arm for her, something he hadn't known was tense relaxing inside of him when he felt her warm body press against his side. His arm tightened around her, pulling her close.
Remy's eyes narrowed a little before he turned away. Some people weren't worth the effort. She was one of them. He left the hall, examining his coat. The clawed freak had torn it with his claws. Bastard.
"I'm sorry." Rogue lifted her eyes to Logan after Remy had left. "Forgive me?"
"I dunno, kid. You were going to leave me, for that?"
"You kicked me out. I think we're fair. That was payback."
"Payback?" He stooped a little, grasping her thighs to lift her up.
She squealed, wrapping her arms and legs around him. "Yes, payback. You kicked me out, and ... and that was me getting you back."
"Sure it wasn't you being confused?"
"No. It was definitely payback." She ran her fingers through his hair. "You didn't mean it, did you, when you said not to come back?"
"No. That was me being confused." He grinned, and shrugged. "Want to try again? Maybe you can give me a proper welcome home."
Pleased, and relieved, she leaned into him, pressing her lips firmly against his, tongue teasing across them before she drew her head back. "How's that?"
"It's a start." Holding her easily in his arms, he carried her back to his room, for a real welcome home.
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