FOURTH WALL - Joint Post

[kineticcajun]

JOINT POST for Gambit and Noa! Make a note in the subject line who you're wanting and I'll answer ♥



GAMBIT: Will be lurking around Good Spirits both nights, keeping an eye on who comes and goes. There will probably be much card shuffling.

NOA: Will be busy running around town the entire time and getting into everyone's business. Anyone, anywhere, any time, she'll be there and will be fascinated by all.

Comments

[kineticcajun]

[Inward wince. Dieu, Belladonna. It may have been said with some humor, but that's. That's not a topic he really wants to get into with his Rogue. (If "his" is even an appropriate word, she's more her own.) He can't see it ending well. At all.

It is definitely a good thing she brought this bourbon.]

I'll try not to. An' hopefully she ain't runnin' around here somewhere too.

[If she is, he's probably going to round some corner and end up nearly being killed. While that might be entertaining for other parties, it's not something he'd care to get into.

And because he gets the feeling he owes this, for whatever happened when this Rogue met Bella:]

Désolé.

[glovesoff]

[Aww, Remy. She really hopes you make some different choices so you don't feel that you have to say sorry quite as much. You've got such a good heart, and her own aches a little.]

D'accord.

[And she raises her glass again. Drink? This conversation is part of why she brought it over, after all.]

[kineticcajun]

[Drink is a good idea. With a small smile, he lifts his glass as well and gives her a nod before drinking down some of the bourbon.

This really is bizarre, having someone who seems to know all of his secrets. Of course, if anyone can find them out, it's Rogue, but he's still a little curious if this was all a zap or just years of experience. From the way she's acting, he's leaning towards the latter.]

Guess I got a talent for bein' a thorn in your side no matter what the timeline, huh?

[He's joking, really, but he still knows he's a pain in the ass. Somehow he doubts his older self avoids ruffling her feathers.]

[glovesoff]

[She leans back and tucks a strand of hair behind an ear in an unknowingly familiar gesture and smirks.] Ya have your moments.

[And then Rogue takes a sip of her whiskey. Her message delivered, the ball's in his court.

...although she will admit, to herself, that she's curious about this version of his younger self... and whatever version of her own younger self there is as well.]

[kineticcajun]

[It's complicated. It always is. But still, the familiarity of some of her gestures pulls a low laugh out of him, even as he wonders if Rogue will grow into this sort of confidence. It fits her. It fits her really well.]

I'll take that as a "yes."

[His tone may be bordering on flirty, but the charm isn't quite turned up to maximum.]

But I promise I make up for it.

[glovesoff]

[A low, amused sound. Having been the recipient of the full-on flirtatious charm of the man that he grows up to be, she's familiar with all the degrees and - heh, he must still be feeling her out.]

Ya have your moments.

[She repeats herself with warm amusement, perfectly comfortable leaving him to guess.]

[kineticcajun]

[Now you've got him curious.]

Speakin' from experience, chere?

[Future self, he salutes you if that's the case.]

[glovesoff]

[A quick upwards quirk of her lips.]

It ain't polite ta kiss an' tell.

[And the two of them have done so much more than kiss. A small smile and Rogue takes another sip of her drink.]

[kineticcajun]

[Yep. That's a salute alright. How he's supposed to get past not so much her mutation as her aversion to letting anyone try to get past the mutation, he has no clue, but there's an odd sense of triumph that it can be done.]

An' what if I'm technically the same person? Don't count in that case, does it?

[He's teasing more than anything, but damn if he isn't curious.]

[glovesoff]

[Heh, he looks so impressed with himself, it's almost cute.]

In that case, Ah think you should go first.

[Eyebrows up, and another sip of whiskey.] Ya obviously knew me - what about it?

[kineticcajun]

[It's more encouragement than it should be. Really.

He takes another swig of bourbon, chuckling despite himself.]

Ain't much to tell. [And the security cameras in Magneto's joint would probably have more to say about the only non-experiment-related kiss he's ever gotten, but that's beyond the point.] The you I know ain't too keen on lettin' me much closer'n this.

[Not that he doesn't push that barrier all the time, but still.]

[glovesoff]

[Ah - now that's. Interesting. She could ask if the other her flirts back, but. She's not sure how much of an advantage she wants to give this particular younger version of the man that won her heart. Because it took a good long time, and a lot of it when he was chasing her for some damn fool idiot reason of his own, for her to win his. And if it's still about the challenge for him, then... well... it's probably best the two of them figure it out their own way.

Instead her gaze flickers to their proximity - easy, comfortable space, not the sort that her younger self would enforce.]

If she's lettin' you this close, ya must've done somethin' right.

[kineticcajun]

[She would know best, wouldn't she? Aside from younger!Rogue, who he suspects would probably prefer knocking him out to confirming out loud if he's doing things right by her. Especially considering all the stupid things he's done in the past.

The smile that twitches onto his face may be a small one, but it's genuine as well. He hasn't quite realized that second part just yet.]

Maybe. [And we'll see how long it takes him to mess that up. Not that he intends to.] Not sure what it was, but I'll try to keep it goin'.

[glovesoff]

Good. [She'll raise her glass in toast again.] Good luck.

[She can say that and mean it. She wants these younger versions to be happy. And she knows that when things were going right, she was never happier than when she was with Remy. And happy is the hardest thing to be, after all.]

[kineticcajun]

[It's odd, being wished luck by Rogue in winning over... well... Rogue. And it does spark some further curiosity, but rather than push it, he'll just raise his glass as well for the toast.]

Merci.

[glovesoff]

[It's a fey, reckless mood that takes her then. Scott would have a coronary, but she and Scott have been having their disagreements lately. And - heh - she's fairly sure that her Remy would be more amused than anything, so...]

Tell me somethin', Sugah. What kinda bet would you put on likin' ghost number three?

[Her lips curl up at the corners in mischief.]

[kineticcajun]

[That look is pretty solid evidence that he will like ghost number three just fine, thanks. But he'll just return that mischievous smirk.]

I'm t'inkin' there's pretty good odds.

[glovesoff]

[She leans forward again.]

Really. Even though that's the one ta do with the future?

[kineticcajun]

The future's lookin' pretty good from where I'm sittin'.

[You walked right into that one, Rogue.]

[glovesoff]

[She actually laughs at that, warm and low and confidently sensual, because hey, she knows what leaning forward does to this blouse.]

I reckon so.

[And then, before God and everybody, she abruptly leans forward to brush her lips against his - it's nothing like a real kiss, but it does hold a glimpse of just what could be to come.

Oh. And there's no instant rushing pain for him either.]

[kineticcajun]

[Gambit isn't sure which part is shocking him more - the fact that she just leaned in and kissed him just like that, or the fact that there was no accompanying zap.

No complaints, of course, but. He's not hitting the floor. And this is not the tunnels.

And somewhere in the back of his thunderstruck mind, the thought surfaces: he should see if he can drag this Rogue to talk to the Rogue from his world, because she really needs to know that she can overcome that mutation. Not for his sake, no... for hers.

It takes a beat or two to move past the surprise.]

You can control it.

[glovesoff]

Yeah. [Just a quiet, vibrant joy.] Ah can control it.

[kineticcajun]

Mon dieu.

[Younger!Rogue has to hear about it. Seriously. He knows how much it weighs on her. And while he might have a similar experience in losing control of his powers, his method of "get help from crazy guys named Sinister" is admittedly not a good one.]

Any kinda tips I can pass along?

[glovesoff]

[She looks down, not sure if revealing the secret would be beneficial or not.]

Ah don't think Ah'd believe you if ya did. [And she's not sure what needed to be done could be done without a Charles Xavier involved.]

But if ya do remember, you could tell her... tell her to let go. [Stop trying to block the psyches off in her head.] ...and tell her that it ain't her fault. [Stop letting guilt control you, stop forming a wall against developing your own powers.]

[kineticcajun]

[Small nod. It all makes sense. But she's right, he doubts the younger Rogue will listen to a word he says. Catch-22. But dammit if it isn't worth at least trying.]

Merci. She might not believe it, but I can try.