Unchained Instinct ( Complete)
folder
X-Men - Animated Series (all) › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
91
Views:
21,476
Reviews:
76
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
X-Men - Animated Series (all) › Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
91
Views:
21,476
Reviews:
76
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own X-Men Evolution, or any of the characters from it. I make no money from from the writing of this story.
Chapter 62
Oh I just love writing these two.
Chapter 62
Rogue followed the winding path through the grounds, the sound of water rushing far below the cliffs edge rising up to greet her. The sun shone down, basking her in warmth, but her heart felt cold...cold with confusion and a bitter self righteous anger that the others could so easily dismiss the need to go after Mystique after what the witch had done to Logan.
Her logical side tried to combat her anger, reminding her of how long it had been since any of them had taken time off from the duties of being an X-Man. And maybe Storm was right. Maybe there was a chance any one of them could burn out way too early in life if they didn’t take time out for family and fun.
But then the petty self pitying side of her rose up, reminding her that she had no family but Kurt...and the rest of her fellow X-Men.
She stood at the cliff’s edge and let the wind whip around her face, wanting to cleanse away the rage and desire to make Mystique pay for...for so many things.
The desire didn’t dissipate, her anger still sensitive to the touch. A strange restlessness tore at her insides and made her want to flee.
“Chere?”
Rogue let out a gasp and whirled, ready to defend herself.
“Cajun,” she sighed and let her guard drop, fists falling to her sides and opening.
“Rogue look ready for a fight there. You okay, mon ami?”
“Just hunky dory,” she replied with sarcasm. “How ‘bout you?”
“Gambit doin’ just fine...now that he found you.” He flashed a brilliant smile and Rogue let some of her anger and restlessness ease away.
She started walking the cliff’s edge, Gambit pacing beside her, hands behind his back, comfortable with himself and the silence between them.
Rogue wasn’t nearly so comfortable. “What’s got you up and about on a sunny mornin’ like today?” Rogue offered up to the silence. “Ya seem ta me the late sleepin’ type.”
“Do Ah now?” Gambit countered. “Ah’m not one ta get set in any one way. Gotta be ready for anythin’, cherie.”
“What were ya ready for today?” Rogue asked and stopped when the gazebo appeared ahead. She didn’t like the place much any more. Not since she battled with herself and lost, hurting Kurt in the process. Now, here she was hating Mystique all the more and couldn’t even push the witch off the cliff to make her feel better.
“Ah come to talk with The Professor about joinin’ up with you X-Men. Ah accepted his invitation.”
Rogue whirled on Gambit, grabbing his wrist in a tight hold. “Ya did?” A smile creased her face. “Yer joinin’?”
Gambit laughed that easy, gentle laugh of his, grinning at her reaction. “Ah think that what Ah just said. As of today, Gambit an X-Man...on probation, a course.”
Rogue stared, a wave of happiness washing over her desolate soul. “Oh Remy! That’s wonderful!” She reached for him, hugging him close, yet being careful not to touch skin to skin.
Gambit’s strong hands roamed over her back and picking her up, Gambit swung her around with another laugh.
“It does a man’s heart good ta hear a pretty woman sound so happy, chere,” Gambit said, finally putting her down. “You do a man’s heart good, Rogue.”
Gambit’s voice had change from happy to intense emotion, his scarlet eyes catching her’s in a mesmerizing gaze.
Rogue’s breath caught and the desire to kiss Gambit nearly overwhelmed her. She pulled back and cleared her throat, slapping gently at his chest.
“You are such a sweet talker, Cajun. Ah just don’t know what ta think about you sometimes.”
“Think well of me, sweet Rogue. That all Gambit asks of you.”
With a shrug, Rogue tugged her gaze away. “You keep doin’ what you’re doin’ and Ah won’t have any reason ta think otherwise.”
A low chuckle was Gambit’s reply. “Hey, chere. How ‘bout we go sit up there and take ourselves a rest?” He indicated the gazebo with the lift of his chin.
Rogue made a face. “Not ma favorite place in the world.”
Gambit’s expression turned quizzical. “What happen there, Rogue? Somethin’ bad?”
Rogue stared at the pretty gazebo, its gingerbread details reminding her of a Victorian style home, maybe a Queen Anne design.
“Remember when Mystique got turned ta stone?” she said, her voice sounding far away to her own ears.
“Ah remember. We thought her as good as dead.”
“Ah didn’t care if she was or wasn’t. But Kurt was upset. He kept thinking she could be redeemed...that maybe she’d change...if there was some way ta bring her back.”
“Too bad, Nightcrawler was wrong ‘bout her, huh?”
“Ah tried to face ma anger. Ah tried to find forgiveness for what she’d done ta me, but in the end, Ah just shoved her right over the edge. She broke up on the rocks below.”
“No less than she deserved, mon ami.”
Rogue finally turned to face Gambit. “Ah don’t know now, Remy. Maybe if Ah’d done what that Harkness woman had wanted me ta do...let go of ma anger and find forgiveness...maybe Mystique could have been saved from herself. Maybe everythin’ she’s done since is ma fault...because Ah couldn’t forgive her.”
Gambit’s hand came to rest on Rogue’s shoulder, offering comfort. “Don’t take on Mystique’s guilt, Rogue. Don’t do it. She’s responsible for her actions and nobody else. If ya take this burden on now, you’ll never be able ta let it go. Ah know. Ah’ve been there. Ah know what it’s like to be used, ta only be cared about for what ya can do. Mystique took you on as her daughter because of the potential for power you hold in your hands...just like ma stepfather did with me. Ah’ve done things for him...bad things, hopin’ he’d love me for it. But with him...just like with Mystique, it was never about love.”
“Do you hate ‘im for it?” Rogue asked. “Do ya hate him for hurtin’ you...for usin’ you?”
Gambit shrugged. “Sometimes Ah do. Sometimes, Ah think, he’s all Ah’ve got ta call family.”
Rogue reached out, stroking down Gambit’s arm. “Not any more, Remy Lebeau. Now you’ve got a new family called The X-Men.”
Gambit’s expression changed, a little color lighting in his cheeks. He glanced away as if embarrassed. “That just might be the nicest thing anybody ever said ta me, chere.”
Rogue’s hand moved up to Gambit’s chin, turning his face to her’s again. “It’s the truth. The X-Men are a family. Ah told you that before.”
“Ah’m not so sure some of your family want me. Ah don’t think Cyclops cares much for Gambit.”
“Don’t let Scott’s up tight attitude get ta ya. That’s just Scott. If he can accept me...he’ll come around for you. Promise. Ah figured ya’d be more concerned ‘bout Logan.”
“Wolverine not a problem. He and Ah had a little chat last night. He got no problem with Gambit.”
“You talked to Logan? Last night? Ah haven’t even talk to ‘im since we rescued ‘im from Mystique. How is it you get ta talk to ‘im?”
Gambit gave a shrug. “He was out in the garden, chere...last night when I brought ya home. He’s real touchy. Those claws of ‘is just come poppin’ out any o’ time these days it seem.”
“Did he say why he’s hidin’ in his room? Why he won’t talk to any of us?” Rogue took a few steps away and ran her fingers back through her hair. “Ah mean...we rescued him. He’s safe. He’s free....”
“He’s humiliated,” Gambit injected with a gentle matter-of-fact tone. “He’s ashamed.”
“What for? For gettin’ caught in one of Mystique’s webs? She’s caught us all one time or another. Even Scott. Even The Professor.”
Gambit shrugged. “Ah’m just offerin’ possibilities. Wolverine a real macho kinda guy and we don’t know what Mystique mighta done ta him. All Ah’m sayin’ is he seem like a man who been humiliated and don’t know how ta deal with it.”
“Well, it makes me feel like he don’t care.”
Gambit tilted his head to catch Rogue’s gaze. “Somehow, Ah think ya know better than that...don’t ya, cherie?”
Rogue let out a huff of a breath and offered the slightest of smiles. “Yeah, your right. Ah do know better.”
They began walking again, strolling now, yet the urge to do something, to run...no, to chase washed over Rogue once more and she kicked a stone hard in frustration and watched it bounce ahead of them.
“So, chere,” Gambit began in a conversational tone. “What ya got in mind for the summer? All the rest of your family seem to got plans. It practically a ghost town ‘round here.”
A scowl twisted Rogue’s features. “Yeah. What kinda plans would Ah have?”
“Ah don’t know.”
Rogue caught Gambit sliding her a knowing look and let her scowl deepen.
“Rogue just seem restless, that all. Like she need to hunt somethin’ down and...well, ya know what Ah mean.”
“Maybe Ah do, Cajun,” Rogue stated, staring off, but not seeing the view. “And maybe Ah’ll do just that.”
Chapter 62
Rogue followed the winding path through the grounds, the sound of water rushing far below the cliffs edge rising up to greet her. The sun shone down, basking her in warmth, but her heart felt cold...cold with confusion and a bitter self righteous anger that the others could so easily dismiss the need to go after Mystique after what the witch had done to Logan.
Her logical side tried to combat her anger, reminding her of how long it had been since any of them had taken time off from the duties of being an X-Man. And maybe Storm was right. Maybe there was a chance any one of them could burn out way too early in life if they didn’t take time out for family and fun.
But then the petty self pitying side of her rose up, reminding her that she had no family but Kurt...and the rest of her fellow X-Men.
She stood at the cliff’s edge and let the wind whip around her face, wanting to cleanse away the rage and desire to make Mystique pay for...for so many things.
The desire didn’t dissipate, her anger still sensitive to the touch. A strange restlessness tore at her insides and made her want to flee.
“Chere?”
Rogue let out a gasp and whirled, ready to defend herself.
“Cajun,” she sighed and let her guard drop, fists falling to her sides and opening.
“Rogue look ready for a fight there. You okay, mon ami?”
“Just hunky dory,” she replied with sarcasm. “How ‘bout you?”
“Gambit doin’ just fine...now that he found you.” He flashed a brilliant smile and Rogue let some of her anger and restlessness ease away.
She started walking the cliff’s edge, Gambit pacing beside her, hands behind his back, comfortable with himself and the silence between them.
Rogue wasn’t nearly so comfortable. “What’s got you up and about on a sunny mornin’ like today?” Rogue offered up to the silence. “Ya seem ta me the late sleepin’ type.”
“Do Ah now?” Gambit countered. “Ah’m not one ta get set in any one way. Gotta be ready for anythin’, cherie.”
“What were ya ready for today?” Rogue asked and stopped when the gazebo appeared ahead. She didn’t like the place much any more. Not since she battled with herself and lost, hurting Kurt in the process. Now, here she was hating Mystique all the more and couldn’t even push the witch off the cliff to make her feel better.
“Ah come to talk with The Professor about joinin’ up with you X-Men. Ah accepted his invitation.”
Rogue whirled on Gambit, grabbing his wrist in a tight hold. “Ya did?” A smile creased her face. “Yer joinin’?”
Gambit laughed that easy, gentle laugh of his, grinning at her reaction. “Ah think that what Ah just said. As of today, Gambit an X-Man...on probation, a course.”
Rogue stared, a wave of happiness washing over her desolate soul. “Oh Remy! That’s wonderful!” She reached for him, hugging him close, yet being careful not to touch skin to skin.
Gambit’s strong hands roamed over her back and picking her up, Gambit swung her around with another laugh.
“It does a man’s heart good ta hear a pretty woman sound so happy, chere,” Gambit said, finally putting her down. “You do a man’s heart good, Rogue.”
Gambit’s voice had change from happy to intense emotion, his scarlet eyes catching her’s in a mesmerizing gaze.
Rogue’s breath caught and the desire to kiss Gambit nearly overwhelmed her. She pulled back and cleared her throat, slapping gently at his chest.
“You are such a sweet talker, Cajun. Ah just don’t know what ta think about you sometimes.”
“Think well of me, sweet Rogue. That all Gambit asks of you.”
With a shrug, Rogue tugged her gaze away. “You keep doin’ what you’re doin’ and Ah won’t have any reason ta think otherwise.”
A low chuckle was Gambit’s reply. “Hey, chere. How ‘bout we go sit up there and take ourselves a rest?” He indicated the gazebo with the lift of his chin.
Rogue made a face. “Not ma favorite place in the world.”
Gambit’s expression turned quizzical. “What happen there, Rogue? Somethin’ bad?”
Rogue stared at the pretty gazebo, its gingerbread details reminding her of a Victorian style home, maybe a Queen Anne design.
“Remember when Mystique got turned ta stone?” she said, her voice sounding far away to her own ears.
“Ah remember. We thought her as good as dead.”
“Ah didn’t care if she was or wasn’t. But Kurt was upset. He kept thinking she could be redeemed...that maybe she’d change...if there was some way ta bring her back.”
“Too bad, Nightcrawler was wrong ‘bout her, huh?”
“Ah tried to face ma anger. Ah tried to find forgiveness for what she’d done ta me, but in the end, Ah just shoved her right over the edge. She broke up on the rocks below.”
“No less than she deserved, mon ami.”
Rogue finally turned to face Gambit. “Ah don’t know now, Remy. Maybe if Ah’d done what that Harkness woman had wanted me ta do...let go of ma anger and find forgiveness...maybe Mystique could have been saved from herself. Maybe everythin’ she’s done since is ma fault...because Ah couldn’t forgive her.”
Gambit’s hand came to rest on Rogue’s shoulder, offering comfort. “Don’t take on Mystique’s guilt, Rogue. Don’t do it. She’s responsible for her actions and nobody else. If ya take this burden on now, you’ll never be able ta let it go. Ah know. Ah’ve been there. Ah know what it’s like to be used, ta only be cared about for what ya can do. Mystique took you on as her daughter because of the potential for power you hold in your hands...just like ma stepfather did with me. Ah’ve done things for him...bad things, hopin’ he’d love me for it. But with him...just like with Mystique, it was never about love.”
“Do you hate ‘im for it?” Rogue asked. “Do ya hate him for hurtin’ you...for usin’ you?”
Gambit shrugged. “Sometimes Ah do. Sometimes, Ah think, he’s all Ah’ve got ta call family.”
Rogue reached out, stroking down Gambit’s arm. “Not any more, Remy Lebeau. Now you’ve got a new family called The X-Men.”
Gambit’s expression changed, a little color lighting in his cheeks. He glanced away as if embarrassed. “That just might be the nicest thing anybody ever said ta me, chere.”
Rogue’s hand moved up to Gambit’s chin, turning his face to her’s again. “It’s the truth. The X-Men are a family. Ah told you that before.”
“Ah’m not so sure some of your family want me. Ah don’t think Cyclops cares much for Gambit.”
“Don’t let Scott’s up tight attitude get ta ya. That’s just Scott. If he can accept me...he’ll come around for you. Promise. Ah figured ya’d be more concerned ‘bout Logan.”
“Wolverine not a problem. He and Ah had a little chat last night. He got no problem with Gambit.”
“You talked to Logan? Last night? Ah haven’t even talk to ‘im since we rescued ‘im from Mystique. How is it you get ta talk to ‘im?”
Gambit gave a shrug. “He was out in the garden, chere...last night when I brought ya home. He’s real touchy. Those claws of ‘is just come poppin’ out any o’ time these days it seem.”
“Did he say why he’s hidin’ in his room? Why he won’t talk to any of us?” Rogue took a few steps away and ran her fingers back through her hair. “Ah mean...we rescued him. He’s safe. He’s free....”
“He’s humiliated,” Gambit injected with a gentle matter-of-fact tone. “He’s ashamed.”
“What for? For gettin’ caught in one of Mystique’s webs? She’s caught us all one time or another. Even Scott. Even The Professor.”
Gambit shrugged. “Ah’m just offerin’ possibilities. Wolverine a real macho kinda guy and we don’t know what Mystique mighta done ta him. All Ah’m sayin’ is he seem like a man who been humiliated and don’t know how ta deal with it.”
“Well, it makes me feel like he don’t care.”
Gambit tilted his head to catch Rogue’s gaze. “Somehow, Ah think ya know better than that...don’t ya, cherie?”
Rogue let out a huff of a breath and offered the slightest of smiles. “Yeah, your right. Ah do know better.”
They began walking again, strolling now, yet the urge to do something, to run...no, to chase washed over Rogue once more and she kicked a stone hard in frustration and watched it bounce ahead of them.
“So, chere,” Gambit began in a conversational tone. “What ya got in mind for the summer? All the rest of your family seem to got plans. It practically a ghost town ‘round here.”
A scowl twisted Rogue’s features. “Yeah. What kinda plans would Ah have?”
“Ah don’t know.”
Rogue caught Gambit sliding her a knowing look and let her scowl deepen.
“Rogue just seem restless, that all. Like she need to hunt somethin’ down and...well, ya know what Ah mean.”
“Maybe Ah do, Cajun,” Rogue stated, staring off, but not seeing the view. “And maybe Ah’ll do just that.”