cajunspice | [Luceti] 2nd Shuffle [Action] (backdated to the 3rd)

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mission return

[Luceti] 2nd Shuffle [Action] (backdated to the 3rd)

December 30th to January 2nd

[Remy had been a little quiet of late, something that generally fell out of character for him. He hadn't shown up to act as an annoyance at anyones house, store, or other facilities; hadn't been picking up new items for his apartment or ammunition; hadn't wasted time around the coffee shop. He had just vanished.]

[For those who decided to venture into his apartment, which he left unlocked due to there be nothing in their worth stealing, would find any flat surface was covered in tools of his job. Blue prints, photos of buildings, detailed drawings and notes, tools used to adapt his own since Luceti was still lacking items he needed. The only thing missing was him.]

January 3rd

[He was tired, he was sore, he ached in places he forgot he had... but god damn if Remy hadn't had fun! Missions, missions was his answer to boredom. Sure, he was playing a tool for yet another group he didn't really want to, but it let him scratch his itch. Infiltration, it just translated into stealing in his mind. Remy LeBeau had found a new way to pass the time, and he couldn't be happier.

Strolling his way around the township as if he had been there all the time, the resident Cajun looked a little worse for wear. The left arm of his coat hung loose, moving with the wind as his actual arm sat in a sling close to his body. Sunglasses managed to hide a few scratches and bruising as well as the tiredness in his eyes. His uniform he wore showed signs of seeing better days, patches of blood and rips, but most of this was hidden by his coat.

He made several stops around the village:

The Item Store, to restock on cards,

The Weapon Store, to get repairs and replacements for his knives and bo staves,

The Clinic, to check his injuries were on the repair,

The Grocery Store, to replace no doubt some of the stuff needing to be thrown out in his apartment by now,

and Good Spirits Bar, for a little something to help him sleep tonight,

Before heading back to his apartment for the night.]

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[Mia knows him, to an extent, as Gambit - one of the X-men, someone from their world and their immediate sphere and who used to join them for training sessions, when that was a larger part of their lives.

She's at the clinic when he arrives and it bothers her a little to realize that she doesn't know if he will know her in return, with all the comings and goings lately. Also, his arm is not in his sleeve.]

Hello. [Best be neutral until he shows whether he recognizes her.] What happened to you?

Curiosity.

[Remy had managed to avoid needing the help of the clinic so far, able to take care of any minor bumps and bruises he had caused, but considering the strain he put on his shoulder, better to get it checked. Would not do him any good to lose mobility or flexibility.]

Just need to check everythin' goin' to be in workin' order, or headin' that way.

[She would love to tell him that Curiosity doesn't leave one in a sling but, really, she knows that isn't true. Curiosity has teeth and bites.]

Then at least sit down, and take off your coat. [Gambit doesn't ever seem the type for the formalities of the clinic and frankly, neither is Mia most of the time.]

[Shrugging the coat off with his good shoulder, Remy let the loose side just drop away, before slinging the item over the back of a chair and taking a seat where indicated. He hadn't done a bad job patching himself up, was well use to it, but still knew better than to go without a check up.]

'm all yours.

[Once Mia starts looking him over in earnest, no, he didn't do a bad job. She can do a better one, though.]

Will you tell me what did this?

[There's no sense using a big spell on him if a medium one will do.]

Just makin' new friends 'nd upsettin' a few folk.

[Let's ignore he might had gotten a bit to close to one of two of his own explosions. Being in the dome made him lazy, he had forgotten the feel of his powers at full strength and had taken a stupid risk. Remy wouldn't make the mistake again. So that explained a few of the burn marks, which by previous standard of when he was learning his powers, weren't too bad.]

[The shoulder was his main concern, he hadn't dislocated it again, but it was close. Immobilizing it helped, but it the constant ache of it was setting his teeth on edge. He would have to work harder to build up the muscles around it, strength what could be to hide its weakness.]

The normal.

[Given how difficult it is for him when he moves his arm, she doesn't ask him to do that very much; she's of the mind that he dislocated it and then tried to fix it himself. Regardless, it's worth the best Psynergy she can use, and she rests her hands gently on either side of Gambit's shoulder to cast it.

There is no light show, no real evidence at all that she's done anything - maybe the barest blue-white flicker across her hands - but it should start to feel better immediately.]

[Remy wasn't really sure what to expect when walking into the clinic. Maybe just securing his arm a little better, some disinfecting for cuts, maybe a few stitches if needed, but not for some young girl to touch him and have the pain vanish. Slipping his arm out of the sling Remy rotated his shoulder, not longer feeling the bite behind it.]

[He let out a low whistle.] Colour me impressed, petite, that some handy skills ya got there.

Thank you. You should still be careful for a day or two. [Drawing up her memories of Gambit in the "Danger Room", Mia folds her arms.] If you come back with this same problem before then I'll have to lecture you first.

[Remy couldn't help but grin at the threat as he slipped his coat back on, with much more ease than he had gotten it off.] Yes Mom. [It was refreshingly amusing, to hear such a command from such a girl. She need not worry, he had no plans to do anything but sleep for the next two or so days.]

Merci for the heal job.

You're welcome.

[With a smile. She's used to a lot more complaining and shrugging-off.]

[As he headed for the door, Remy paused to offer a smile back at her.] Don't take this the wrong way petite, but hope I don't have to see ya 'gain. At least not for the same reasons.

[He offered a brief wave before stepping outside and back into the cold.]

[In the Item Shop, there is some cheerful light metal coming through Rogue's precious Mp3 player. She's doing some rearranging of the displays in front, so she's right there when Gambit walks in.

Her eyes widen.]

Well, look what the cat dragged in.

[...no, really, you have seen better days, sir.]

[Yeah, Remy was getting use to those kind of tones greeting him whenever he got himself into this store, or something heavier and ready to rattle your teeth out of your skull.]

Non, Sabertooth be back... wherever he scurried off to. No cat this time. [Yeah, he knows Rogue, but don't ruin his good mood. He may regret some of the aches and pains in the days to come, but until then, he was enjoying it all.]

Ya got a new stock of cards in?

[She straightened up, brushing her gloves lightly against her hips in a business-like motion.]

Should have. What happened, ya use 'em all up?

[It was kind of funny, really, how with most people she'd never intrude so far into their business. But Remy had started out as an enemy and so she'd never afforded him that same courtesy. And even though now they were in some nebulous... something, she'd never regained that distance. And she probably wouldn't.]

Yeah, origami. Can make a crane now in under thirty seconds.

[That's ok Rogue, not like Remy wasn't one to pry into everyone's business, whether they wanted him to or not. As long as she was prepared for him to hand it right back to her.]

I can't wait ta see.

[And don't think she won't ask for a demonstration.]

They give ya those paper cuts?

Yeah, let's go with that, hein? [The easiest way to explain it. Not truthful, but easy.]

[Remy moved further into the store, heading to where the cards were typically kept.]

[Sure, if she believed you, it would be totally easy!

She doesn't trail after him.

...okay, that's a lie. She doesn't trail after him for about fifteen seconds.]

I think I'm hurt. [Dramatic pause.] There was a bar fight. An' you didn't invite me?

[She's just gonna keep guessing until you tell her. The next one may or may not involve playing dress-up with paper dolls.]

Ah, now cherie, I would never do that! I have very vivid memories of just how useful ya be in a bar fight. [A quick grin spread across his face as Remy shifted several of the decks into his coat, not without a grimace of pain though.] 'nd how well ya handled my staff.

[Ok, bad joke, a low joke, but funny in his mind.

[Rogue zeroed in on that grimace, but couldn't miss the innuendo. Another time and place and it might have flsutered her (although that was unlikely), or brought on an insult that could possibly be construed as flirtatious. But despite, or maybe because of the fact that Gambit was still Gambit and she was thoroughly taken, Rogue frowned a little and went for the blunt truth.]

You've got a dirty mind, Cajun. [She tilted her head and looked at him.] Is that how ya got all beat up? Tryin' to clean it up?

[Remy let out a bark of a laugh, ending it in a chuckle as he turned back to her.] Like that could ever be done. [Or he would ever want to.]

[Time to try and move the topic away from him, although Remy should had expected something, showing up in the store in this state. He was tired, he would blame it on that. His body was barely running on auto pilot.] Think ya goin' to have to owe me a dinner Roguey, need to see if ya liked ya Christmas present.

[Rogue crossed her arms under her chest.]

It'd explain why you look so beat up. [She frowned. She hadn't got him anything for Christmas, though Storm had left him something. ~~Hopefully we will get to that in the mistletoe thread.~~] An' I don't owe you anythin' for a present. Now, if you're feelin' poorly, maybe I could be talked into makin' you somethin' warm an' easy ta heat up...

[Remy chuckled at the bark back he got from her before aiming a well practiced smile in her direction.] Hmmmm, temptin' cherie, very temptin'. [There was that dirty mind again.]

[...wow, she has no idea how he got There from That. She gave him an incredulous stare.]

I'm startin' ta think there might be something seriously wrong with you. [And then she gave him a deliberate once over.] I mean, besides the obvious.

[Nope, she's not letting this go.]

[Probably better for both of them if he didn't explain how he got there, or he was most likely to end up with more injuries to add to his total.]

Dropped on my head too much as a child. [Returning her glance over him, Remy raised a brow at her and waited. He wasn't going to volunteer what was going on, she would have to ask, and hope he would actually tell her the truth and not just more BS.]

I said besides the obvious. [Because obviously he'd been dropped on his head. It just explained too much to be otherwise.

But at that quirked brow Rogue realized that he would be willing to play this game all day and not give her any answers by the end of it. She had to decide whether or not finding out what had happened was worth the blow to her pride that actually asking him would be. In the end, it wasn't that hard. Maybe after someone tried to blow up your hand you always felt a strange connection to them... or maybe it was something else entirely that caused the bizarre feeling of kinship. Either way, she had to know if he was getting himself into trouble here.]

So who'd ya piss off?

Edited 2014-01-20 04:43 (UTC)

[There you go Rogue, wasn't that hard, was it?] Ah, no one important, just the results of a bit of fun. [Remy offered her a grin, more than a bit of bravado behind it.] Had a go at one of those missions ya mentioned. Was gettin' rusty sittin' 'round here doin' nothin'.

Quoi, ya wanna come with me next time 'nd watch my back? [Wouldn't happen. Remy was pretty sure her skills weren't up to what he needed in a steal. A brawl, maybe, but not a job.]

[Some of the tension slid out of her shoulders. A mission meant that he hadn't gotten the crap kicked out of him here. So that was all right.]

Rusty as you are? [She gave him an up and down look.] It's gotta be worse than I thought if you're lookin' for back-up on a job.

Ah cherie, don't tell me ya were actually worried 'bout lil' ol' me? [Remy's grin took on a smug turn.] Didn't know ya cared.

'nd don't mind backup if I know it involves stuff I ain't an expert on.

Edited 2014-01-22 08:19 (UTC)

[Cared? Fah! Cared.

There was a moment of hesitation as she attempted to find which way to deflect, but then Rogue just shrugged.]

You come in here lookin' all beat up, at the least I wanna know if someone's gonna be comin' in after you rarin' ta finish the job. [A hesitation.] ...You know, time before when you were here, we had an agreement. I don't aim to hold you to it, but - are you interested in hearin' it?

[This... could be a phenomenal mistake. But something in her had to try.]

To preserve my honour, or to make sure ya stock don't get smashed?

[As Rogue's tone changed to a more sober one, Remy hid an internal sigh. Why was it so many of their conversations took a more serious twist? He would rather avoid it all together. Joking around and keeping things light was something he was comfortable with, this on the other hand made him want to turn on his heels and leave as fast as he could. But she had been gone out of her way to include him, least Remy could do was listen.]

Guess so. [Was he going to like this?]

[Rogue lifted an eyebrow to answer that question - as if it was even a question.

She shifted away from him as she did, moving to lean against one of the stacks opposite. She'd never... talked about a previous memory with a newcomer before, she tried to avoid it since she'd hated it when that happened to her. But like most things, it seemed Gambit was an exception. She'd gone through too much with him to at least try to connect the ends, even if there was a small voice in her mind that whispered it was a mistake.]

It was all your fault, actually. There were less of us X-Men here at the time, an' I went on a mission without tellin' anyone. [She whistled.] You were one unimpressed Cajun.

[How Rogue started instantly put Remy on the defence, his heckles raising at the accusation and ready to bite back some snide comment to it, but held his tongue instead and rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses. Femmes loved using that line on him... half the time it was right, but he still disliked hearing it. Feeling like this was a time that required a smoke, he carefully reached into his coat to pull one out, placing it between his lips as he listened.]

Why? [He quirked an eyebrow up at her, causing him to pause in the lighting of his cigarette.] Cherie, ya clearly big enough 'nd old 'nough to do ya own thing. Quoi? Ya got ya ass handed to ya or somethin'?

[She laughed. It was such an obvious dig that she couldn't help it, and much as she'd like to shoot back with 'Who knows what's going on in your crazy head,' the whole point of this was to try and join the two experiences together, so shouldn't she just... tell him?]

Gawd, we both did. Though I admit I got the worst of it when the ceiling fell on me...

[This had clearly been a terrible mistake. She hated relating bits of her past and he - this wasn't fair to him. She could see him withdrawing - she should just let him go. Why couldn't she just let him go?]

I figure you were pissed because you thought the Malnosso took me right after I'd gotten my ribs smashed, or maybe you just thought I was bein' stupid. Bad things tend ta happen here.

[She shook her head and pushed off the shelf.] You know what? Never mind. Just forget it.

[Just forget the whole thing.]

Edited 2014-01-27 15:52 (UTC)

[Remy offered a cringe at her retelling of her injuries. Falling ceilings were never fun, at least not when you were under one...]

[Damn the previous him, he had clearly made attachments to others while being stuck in this place. How long had he been here to have that happen? Letting out a sigh, Remy offered a kind smile to Rogue, finally slipping his sunglasses off and into his coat. It showed how tired he was, but he didn't mind letting that show through considering she was offering something personal to him.]

'm sorry I ain't the Remy ya had, cherie, undoin' whatever ya both had with the last time I was here. [He reached out and rested a hand against her upper arm, giving it a light squeeze.] Ya just got to put up with me bein' a pain in the ass 'nd havin' to relearn the rules of the game.

[She wanted to brush it off like it wasn't a big deal. She wanted to pretend that his kind words meant absolutely nothing; that was how it should be. But she couldn't. Because for however messed up their relationship had been, however many issues she'd had in trusting Remy with her heart, she'd always known that she could trust him with her back. He'd earned that.

This time... well, true, they hadn't been on any drafts together and true, things had calmed down a lot in Luceti since the last invasion, but...

She'd known the other one too well, maybe. Would this be what it would be like if Tony came back without his memories? The thought pained her.

So she just offered Gambit a small smile.]

I don't think either of us ever learned the rules. If we had, we'd probably just break 'em anyway. [And she forced her smile into a smirk, went for the joke.] An' you're always a pain in the ass.

Never said I'd play by the rules, just that I need to know them.

[While Remy had no idea what had gone before, or how Rogue viewed them and him, he could sympathize. He had no room to trust anyone with his heart, he had learnt that lesson painfully and had no intent to ever let it happen again. Trust was something Remy didn't hand out anymore, bar beyond a few to watch his back for a job, as it would always be broken. Lesson learnt, a mistake not to be repeated.]

[He wanted to end this light, for both their sakes, but as his foot began to tap nervously against the floor Remy mentally fought with himself. He should offer something back, Rogue had been willing to bare this to him, he should do that same. But it went against all he had built himself up to be, to stay distant and not get involved, yet who knew how long he would be stuck here... and part of him really would like someone he could be honest with again. Maybe the wrong target, but if not Rogue, then who else? God knows she had more than enough reasons to leave him to rot in the cold since he got here, but she didn't. She was a good person and who knew, maybe some of that would rub off on him.]

Can I trust ya? Ya may have those memories, but I don't. Far as I know, ya the angry little raccoon girl I manipulated into helpin' me back home. [Remy hated to show his more serious side, it was better to hide behind humour and ignore the darker side to life. Better to play the fool than expose the scared little boy inside.] I don't know ya, 'nd I ain't normally the type to check in with others before I go 'bout my work. We can make believe all the pleasantries we want to, mais what be the point of it if it all just pretend in the end? [It would be nice to have a friend, a true friend, to trust again... he missed his last two.]

['Racoon girl!' Rude! But then he continued on and her instant indignation faded to concern, and then surprise, and then concern. She regarded Remy with a seriousness that she saved for very special occasions, a quiet and passionate intensity that she showed to very few.

This was a big moment, she knew, and she also knew that she had no idea what to do, no idea what was right in this situation. Things had never been simple between her and Gambit. She didn't know what was better or worse, didn't even know what the point of him asking was. The only thing she could do was tell him the truth.]

I'm not pretending anything with you. If I wanted you to go ta hell, I'd tell it to you straight. But I can't tell you to trust me, Remy. [It was the first time she'd said his name since he'd returned without his memories.] That's not how trust works. That's why it's so darn scary. You either believe me or you don't. That's up to you.

[Mystique had taught her that. The X-Men had taught her that. Trust was something you did, something you chose. She didn't understand why the X-Men still trusted her, wanted her, after what she'd done to Mystique. And she'd learned the hard way that she needed someone to trust - everyone needed someone to trust. In his own way and completely unintentionally, Gambit had taught her that.]

[Keeping his eyes locked onto her face as he processed what Rogue said, Remy let out a chuckle before replacing his sunglasses over his eyes, effectively putting his normal mask back on. Nothing like a slap in the face by reality. Would he had preferred her to lie and just said 'yes'? Ah, why make life easy, took all the fun out of it.]

Merci, for not lyin' at least, cherie. Just don't ever go into counsellin', hein, don't think it's ya callin'.

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[Luceti] 2nd Shuffle [Action] (backdated to the 3rd)

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