Gambit
Gambit approached the school. He wanted to check up on Rogue, after being out of town on... business. He also wanted to talk to Demetria.
He headed to the rec room. There was bound to be one of them there, right?
Demetria and Octavian
"Oh! No!" Demetria shrieked as her brother tickled her. She teleported out.
"Oh, that is very unsporting Demetria," Octavian complained, as he moved around the lounge to advance on her again. "You always seem to manage to tickle me."
"No, don't you dare!" Demetria warned him sternly as she backed away towards the door. Octavaian grinned, and pounced. Demetria screamed again as he unfailingly managed to make her laugh so hard she couldn't concentrate on getting away. "Octac-VIIAANNN! No! Sto- ooppp!" She flipped him, but he managed to make it so she was the one who hit the ground on her back as he kept tickling her. "You're a beast!"
"Code name is Feral, after all, Demmie," he said gleefully. She 'ported to the doorway, gasping for breath. Octavian sniffed as he stood. "You know, if you *really* wanted to get away, you'd port further away."
"I *was* working," she said as she put a hand on the door frame. "You are so *evil*. You know I hate being tickled."
"What else is a brother to do besides annoy his sister?" Octavian said cheerfully.
"Brat." Demetria ran a hand through her hair as she finally managed to breathe properly.
"You're the one who started it."
Gambit
Gambit grinned at the scene before him.
"I'm sorry," Gambit teased. "I'll go if I'm interuptin' somethin'. Or is dere a fair maiden in need o' rescuin'?"
Demetria and Octavian
"Oh no. We can leave." Demetria kept her eye on the grinning Octavian. "Rescue sounds delightful."
"Hello, Gambit." He took a step forward and Demetria took a step backward. "You'd think she was scared of me or something."
"I just don't happen to find not being able to breathe particularily amusing, Tavvie. You...just stay over there."
"I feel so unloved, Dem."
"I...refuse to comment."
"Oh! I feel *so* wounded."
Gambit and Rogue
Gambit took Demetria's hand and kissed it gently.
"It woul' den be my pleasure ta recuse yo'," he smiled. "How about -"
"Remy?"
"Cheri! Long time no see," Gambit replied. "How are yo' doin'?"
"Better," Rogue replied with a glance at Demetria.
Demetria and Octavian
Demetria smiled slightly uncomfortably at Rogue. "Hey Rogue."
"Gambit's being the kinght, rescuing my sister from any more of the tickling that she so richly deserves." Octavian crossed his arms and tilted his head slightly. "She does, you know."
"I do not, and you're being totally obnoxious." She blew a strand of her out of her eyes.
"Rogue, darling girl, did you finish that history assignment?"
"Because I've told him already I'm not helping him."
"Oh, again with your cruel words. I swear, you are being so cutting today."
"Only with you, Tavvie darrrrrling. Only with you."
Gambit and Rogue
Rogue smiled.
"Be happy to help you," Rogue replied.
She chewed her lip and looked at Gambit.
"Good dat yo' doin' better."
"Look," Rogue said. "I... if you're... if you're interested in Dem, I..."
She stared backing towards the door.
"Cheri?"
Rogue fled.
Demetria and Octavian
"Well, that went so well," Demetria said quietly. Octavian shook his head slightly.
"I have band practice." He walked by his sister and Gambit, then hesitated before kissing her forehead. "It'll be fine, Demetria Juno. Go have some fun for once." He grinned, before raising his hand to his forehead in an almost salute. "I'll see you later, ok?"
"Ok." Octavian walked out.
"Now to see what musical tortures Jono has dreamed up this time..."
Gambit
"I'd better catch up with her later," Gambit said thoughfully.
There was silence for a moment.
"Woul' yo' like ta join me fo' lunch, cheri?"
Demetria
"That would be lovely, thank you, Remy,"Demetria said and turned slightly so she could smile at him.
Gambit
Gambit smiled back and walked with her out of the mansion.
"So, anythin' in particular yo'd like?"
Demetria
"I don't mind, particularily. As long as this time I don't get kidnapped, I'm not too fussed." Demetria frowned slightly. "But that shouldn't be a problem with you here. Sergei is just being paranoid..."
Gambit
"Don' worry, cheri. I plan on bringin' yo' home safe and sound," Gambit replied.
It wasn't long before they arrived down town and Gambit took her to a little cafe he knew.
"Good food here. What woul' yo' like?"
Demetria
Demetria glanced at the blackboard menu. "The sandwiches look good. What do you think you'll have?"
Gambit
"Works fo' me," Gambit replied.
They placed their order and then sat at a table outside to eat and drink.
Demetria
"What is New Orleans like?" Demetria asked curiously. "I haven't been able to see much of America outside New York." She laughed slightly. "I'm a teleporter, and all I've seen outside this area is the Hotel Hyperion's lobby, and the front of a house in Tulsa. Mordred and I get used as a quick taxi service when someone needs urgent transport."
Gambit
"It's home," Gambit replied. "That's right. Yo' were tellin' me the other day dat you were a teleporter. From England to here, as I recall."
Demetria
"I think I'm stronger then Mordred, but we're not sure," Demetria said thoughtfully. "I was still able to help pull a fantastic prank the day we arrived." She smiled evilly. "There's just something about the Summers that makes them lovely targets. What's funny, is that Dawn blames Tav for half the stuff I do."
Gambit
Gambit grinned.
"Ahh, scapegoats. Nice little tool, dem. Always useful ta have. Have you ever played the game Mafia?"
Demetria
"No..." Demetria said thoughtfully. "I don't believe I've heard of it. It sounds like a game I could learn to like, though." She grinned.
Gambit
"Yo' need a few people fo' it. It's a card game, so to speak. Everyone is given a card. If it's a King, dey be the Mafia. Queen is the doctor and Jack is the detective. You only need one doctor and detecive, and at least two Mafia, but da numbers are all relative to the size of the group. Everyone else is a villager. And one person needs to be god."
Gambit gave Demetria a knowing grin.
"Well, god puts everyone to sleep for da night - so everyone has to close their eyes. Den god says 'Mafia wake up', and the Mafia opens deir eyes and find out who dey are. Den god says 'Mafis go ta sleep, doctor wake up'. Dent after the doctor, it's the dectective. Den god wakes everyone up and dey must all try to guess who the Mafia is. Once one person is picked, dat person has to show deir card, and dey are den dead. The next night, when de Mafia wake up, dey all - silently o' course - pick someone to kill. Dey have to agree. Den da doctor picks someone ta save. Den da detective guesses who da Mafia is and gets a yes or no from god. Den everyone wakes up and god tells them either that the Mafia killed somone - in which case the person is named - or dat someone was saved - in which case da person is not named."
He took a sip of his drink and continued.
"I remember dis game now because we talk of scapegoats. And when everyone is trying to guess who da Mafia is, da skilled player finds a way to talk themselvbes out of dying, to talk da others into killing someone else. Da game ends when either all da Mafia are dead, or only Mafia remain."
Demetria
"Sounds fun but complicated," Demetria said, looking thoughtful. "I would hazard to guess that you're one of the players who wins often?" She grinned suddenly. "Lucky at cards, unlucky at love..."
Gambit
" 'Twould see dat way," Gambit replied. "Can be hard for a wanderer like myself ta find dat one special person. An' what 'bout yo' cheri?"
Demetria
"I'm a very good poker player," Demetria said with a laugh. "Love is not something I excel at. Oh, there have always been guys who said they loved me, but it wasn't me they loved. It's the money and the power my last name stands for that they love. Not Dem."
Gambit
"Den we are in da same boat," Gambit replied. "Da price we pay ta be good at cards appears ta be our love lives. But some t'ings can be remedied."
He took her hand in his.
Demetria
Demetria smiled slowly. "Dare I say that my luck at cards is going to take a sudden downwards sprial?" She said almost teasingly.
Gambit
"Den we should start playing... pool," Gambit smiled, his red eyes twinkling.
He leant towards her.
"May I?"
Demetria
"Such a gentleman...of course, the answer's yes, you realise." Demetria leaned forward to kiss him, golden hair falling around her face to shield them from curious passers by.
Gambit
Gambit's lips met hers and kissed them gently. One hand moved to the back of her head.
After a minute or two he pulled away and gazed deeply into her eyes.
Demetria
Demetria sighed slightly. "That was...good." She smiled lazily.
Gambit and Rogue
They enjoyed the rest of their lunch together and then headed back to the mansion. Rogue was waiting for them.
"Hi," she said.
"Hi Rogue," Gambit replied.
Demetria
"Hey, Rogue," Demetria said calmly, nerves writhing inside her stomach. What if Julie was right? What if Rogue liked Remy? But he had came and picked her up...so maybe he didn't feel the same. Or she was a subsitute. Since he couldn't touch Rogue, he'd just settle for second best. Such thoughts skittered rapidly through Demetria's head.
Rogue and Gambit
"I umm... I... I'm sorry I ran out before," Rogue said quietly. "I umm, I know there was never anything... official between us, Remy and I... I just..."
"Cheri -"
"I know I'm not doing a very good job of saying this, but please let me say it," she took a breath. "Physically we can't be anything more than friends and you deserve more than that. If... if you're interested in Dem, then don't feel like you guys have to tiptoe around me or anything."
Demetria
"Maybe I should go, and let you sort this out," Demetria said quietly. Her innate pride wouldn't let them see how this had affected her. Keep that stiff upper lip.
Gambit
Gambit took Demetria's hand before she left.
"Talk to yo' soon," he told her.
Demetria
"You have my number, and well, I'm usually here. Unless someone needs taxi service." Demetria smiled slightly. "Honestly, darrrling, I should start charging for it. I get called out of classes often enough. Talk to you again sometime. Later, Rogue, Remy." Demetria nodded at the two of them, and winked out. She 'ported to her room and sat down on her bed heavily, staring at her hands. What to do, what to do...
Rogue and Gambit
"Yo're a great gal, Rogue," Gambit said.
"But it's not working between us? Ah know."
"I hope I haven' hurt yo'."
"No, no. AT least... not directly," Rogue smiled. "Ah... Ah have to face facts. Any romantic relationship with me is a lost cause."
"Yo'll get da hang of yo' power soon."
"Ah'm not sure about that."
"And dat's da wrong attitude, cheri."
Rogue shrugged.
"Maybe. Good luck with you and Dem."
"T'ank yo'. And on dat note, I had best be off."
"Okay. See you later."
"Bye."
And Gambit left.