[ Action, Voice ] Seven of Diamonds
[Rogue has spent this entire experiment week completely unaffected. If she were the kind of person inclined to use blackmail, that would be just peachy. Instead, after figuring out the theme, she's gone from resigned to amused to bitter in the blink of an eye. Kind of the Malnosso to remind her that fairy tales and happily ever afters just aren'
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Her lips are soft and warm, and slack with sleep. The fairy tale sticks around just long enough to decide - yes, this kiss is acceptable - before Rogue slowly begins to return to consciousness.
The first thing she's aware of is the pressure on her lips. She must be dreaming, because there's no incoming rush of psyche, no hint of pain along with that thrill-inducing sensation.
She wonders, vaguely, whose memory this is. It feels as though she's leaning against someone taller, and there's a distinctly masculine sense in this kiss, so at least she's the girl in this particular stolen memory. As soon as she opens up her eyes and knows who it is, the whole thing will be ruined and she'll be forced to live through it until she can shake herself out of sleep or dream. And it's such a nice kiss, the only kind she'll ever get to enjoy ( ... )
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And she doesn't pull away either, much as she'd like to, needs to. He's too close and she not supposed to lean on anyone, much less someone who isn't a teammate, much less him. But just right now, pulling away would be too much of a distraction from the battle in her mind and Rogue clenched her teeth and forces them back, letting her anger and frustration over this whole situation, over being seen like this, add strength to her fight. It's over after a mere 48 seconds. 48 seconds that seem like a lifetime. She steps forward immediately afterwards, tearing her shoulders from his grip, trying and failing to think to a way to downplay this.]
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But still, this is Rogue. And he can tell from the rough way she pulls away that it's not anything to push. And she'll be fine. She always is.]
Should prob'ly be gettin' you home soon, non? Wouldn't want those X-Men of yours gettin' too worried.
[After all, this is the Big Bad Gambit she's out and about with.]
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She shakes her head and turns to face him, trademark scowl in place. It looks like an odd accessory, dressed as she is and swathed in his coat, with her bare revealing all her natural coloring of lips almost too red for her porcelain skin, and hazy green eyes that weren't meant to be so hard.]
You're the one who's a hot mess.
[And, still frowning, Rogue actually takes a half-step closer to the side to better inspect the arm that seems worse off.]
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And then she's stepping into inspect his arm. Now it's Remy's turn to try to play it down. His arms may be scratched up and bloodied, and it definitely stings, but they'll heal quickly enough. None of the scratches are too deep and as far as he can tell, only that one small thorn had stayed stuck on him. At least his wings were still covered through all of this, or the damage may have actually been more of a concern.]
It looks worse than it is. Those thorns didn't hit too deep.
[Somewhere, he appreciates the fact that she cares enough to look, but he really doesn't want to admit to the fact that he got gouged by a bunch of ill-mannered plants, thanks.]
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...and that was a very bad thought.
She blinks and her frown deepens before she leans back and flicks her gaze up to his face.]
You're right, it shouldn't be too much ta clean up.
[Rogue hesitates for a moment - is she sure she wants to show him this? It will just make her tired afterwards. And a close encounter with some hydrogen peroxide. All the same... if she does this she can call the whole thing even. She can't even be genuinely mad at him for kissing her; she knows the way the experiment has been and if he hadn't then who knows how many people would have been caught in the experiment's compulsion? And he dragged her here so she wouldn't hurt anyone, and got hurt himself doing it.
Yeah. This is right.]
...just hold still.
[She slowly stretches out one ( ... )
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But here she is, and the scratches left behind by the thorns are slowly but steadily closing up. The sting is rapidly fading. Inwardly, he's impressed with the power of the healing magic. It's not something he's had a chance to see quite yet, but it's definitely something else.
This girl's just full of surprises.
His eyes flick up from the healing scratches on his arm, up to try to catch her eye as well.]
Merci. [And he means that. Really.] ...When'd you learn t'heal people up like this?
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She drops her arm and dodges his gaze, trying to hide that. He's got a whole other arm to heal and Rogue halfway wonders if she should bother.
...stepping back now seems cowardly. Never let anyone say she was a quitter. Rogue steps in front of him to his other side while not meeting his eyes, all the while attempting to make this as brusk and business-like as possible. It comes off as awkward and too-aware.]
I've been here a while, Cajun. I'm bound ta pick a few things up.
[Yes, she knows, that's not an answer. The truth is, she'd been uncertain about the filial spirits... ( ... )
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That exhaustion isn't hidden half as well as you may hope it is, Rogue. Gambit doesn't miss the telltale signs starting to set in. She really shouldn't be pushing herself like this. Especially after everything else.]
Rogue... [And here he drops his voice to make sure that, even if anybody is walking past, there won't be anyone overhearing.] Shouldn't be wastin' all your energy on me, chere.
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[She steps away, exhausted but satisfied. She glances up at him, the spark of challenge in her eyes softened by something like appreciation. She's glad she was able to make things even, even if, by the way she can still feel the ghost of his kiss, it wasn't that uneven to begin with.]
Besides, [and she glances away] I've gotta practice if I want ta get better.
[So clearly it has nothing to do with you, personally, or the fact that you got hurt because of her.]
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He can see right through you, Rogue, and it’s bringing a softened look to his eyes as well. Stubborn as a mule - and possibly had been around Wolverine a touch too long - but he can still appreciate that she felt some kind of need to return a favor. Even though he’s doubtful he deserved such a thing.
He meets that spark of challenge with a spark of mischief.]
Guess I know who to go to in case of more scratches, non? If it’s more practice you’re after.
[Not that he anticipates getting caught by anything again, but she’s way too much fun to tease.]
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Sorry, Cajun. Only the first time was free.
[Scowl. So you'd better not get hurt again. And if you do, you'd better go to someone who really can do something about it.
She does not, much as she'd like to make the taunt about the 'big man being afraid of a little antiseptic.' It's on the tip of her tongue, ready to go out, but she could already hear his response to it, and the whole point is to draw his attention as far away from what she just did as possible, not to point right back to it.]
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[Although "payment" in a place without money is open to interpretation. Which is part of the fun in offering it.
Much as he enjoys pressing your buttons, though, Rogue, that exhaustion takes priority. Not to mention it's starting to get dark, and with all the fairy tales running around, lord only knows what nightfall will bring out. Even though he starts walking again, he's deliberately going slower to make sure she can keep up. He's still in decent enough shape to take on a wicked witch or werewolf or whatever Luceti feels like throwing at them from here, but Rogue looks pretty drained.]
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You don't have anythin' I want.
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[It may not be the greatest idea to keep nettling her, but it's at least a way to keep stoking up enough energy to make sure she can get home. Plus, being a pain in her neck is a good way to mask that he's deliberately walking slow to keep a better eye on her.]
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Stealin' my stuff an' holding it hostage doesn't count.
[Let's just put that out there right now.
...walking is hard when you're really tired. But she's stubborn as anything, and refuses to drag her feet or look down. Also, whoever designed these skirts needs to be shot, and she's pretty sure this corset is about twenty times tighter than the way she wears them.]
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