Chapter Text
A Night Out
by Franscat
Remy looked up with surprise at the light rapping on the door, the soft knock interrupting the tomblike solitude that seemed to characterize his new life. Since Antarctica most of the x-men wouldn't come near him except when he was training or on a mission and he wondered what was up as he rose to answer the door.
"Oui?" he questioned opening the bedroom door and relaxing as he looked down into Logan's crystal blue eyes. Logan and Stormy were two of the people who still talked to him. Something he was grateful for.
"Hi kid, whatcha doin?" Remy looked over at the book on the bed and then back at Logan opening the door wider so the x-man could see the neat room and the large volume he had been reading.
"Catchin up on my readin," he leaned on the doorjamb, his long lean body relaxed. "What can I do for you cher?"
"Some of us are going to Harry's tonight and I want you to come."
Remy smiled though Logan could see that the smile didn't touch his eyes. The Cajun never really smiled or laughed anymore and Wolverine was actually more than a little worried about his mental state; especially considering how reclusive he had become. Remy was an empath and all this isolation couldn't be good for him. "Thank you cher, mais I don' think so," he answered despite the small voice in his head that cried out for some fun time with his teammates.
Remy was very lonely but he was a realist and knew the truth, most of the x-men wouldn't want him there. The idea of sitting at a table, feeling the contempt and suspicions emanating from the others was just something he couldn't face.
"Come on Rem, you need a night out with the team. We're leaving in an hour. You should come," Logan coaxed as he considered the boy. It was obvious the Cajun wanted to go out and needed some relaxation.
"I'll think about it, Wolvie." he turned back into the room but glanced back after a moment's hesitation. "Thanks, for thinkin of me Logan," Remy added his voice soft and sad. Wolverine nodded aware that this was Remy's way of saying no and deciding the kid was going out tonight whether he wanted to or not.
"Don't call me Wolvie," he complained as he turned. "And you better be ready in an hour or I'll come and get ya."
Remy started to protest, turning back but the mutant was gone.
The Cajun closed the door and sat down on the bed. Could he go or would it be just another disaster in a life that seemed to be a series of disasters. Part of him wanted to go out and have some fun but another part of him already knew he had lost the x-men as friends on the icy landscape of Antarctica and going would only make things worse.
Better to stay behind and do some reading or go find a card game somewhere to distract him. Unfortunately, he might not have a choice. Getting past Logan when he decided on a course was more than a challenge. Remy was stubborn but he knew Logan was even more obstinate.
Not sure what to do, Remy pulled out some clean clothes and headed for the shower. Maybe, he could go with them and then give them all the slip. At least, he wouldn't look like some lost soul that people pitied.
Fifty minutes later, the Cajun headed down the stairs his carefree mask firmly in place. But he stopped on the stairs just out of sight of Warren, Bobby, and Logan as their conversation filtered up to him.
"Let's go," Angel turned toward the door. "Hank's out in the van already."
"We gotta wait for Remy," Logan answered and Angel shook his head.
"He's coming." The statement came out as a sneer as Logan gave out a soft growl of annoyance.
"I invited him, Wings so can it."
"What the hell did you do that for?" Warren answered with disgust heading out the door as Bobby turned and followed him shaking his head.
Logan watched them go with some annoyance. Gambit had never been a friend of Wings but it was a shame that Bobby was following him now. Wolverine knew Remy had always been unpopular with certain x-men. Part of the reason was his looks, there was quite a bit there to be jealous of. Remy was drop-dead gorgeous and attracted females and males with ease. Coupling his looks with his charm power led to resentment by some of the younger males and his playful, shameless flirtations with females and males didn't help matters.
On the stairs, Remy stood frozen listening to the conversation and then peeked down to see two of the x-men leave as Logan leaned against the door and checked his watch impatiently. Turning quietly, the Cajun went back up the stairs and into his room sitting against the headboard of his bed and drawing his legs up to his chest so he could wrap his arms around them and rest his head on his knees, trying to hold back tears. He had known going was a mistake.
Logan stood by the door for a couple more minutes before heading for the stairs planning on dragging the kid down. But the mutant stopped as he sniffed the air realizing Remy had been here. With a sigh, he looked back at the door considering the conversation that had just ended and then up the stairs mulling over what to do before heading out to the van.
Five minutes later, the van pulled out of the mansion and Remy breathed a sigh of relief as he heard them go. Of course, the relief was short lived as he realized that Logan had abandoned him and with that realization the tears that had been so close to the surface started falling down his cheeks even though he tried desperately to stop them. The empath wrapped his hands even tighter around his knees as he sobbed quietly hating himself and his life. He hadn't wanted to go but irrationally he still felt bad about being left behind. It seemed leaving him behind was becoming a habit. He was still sobbing quietly when a large hand landed on his thin shoulder startling him.
Looking up in surprise, Remy stared in bewilderment at Wolverine. "Logan," he whispered wiping at his eyes self consciously. "I thought you went."
"I told ya you're coming out drinking with me tonight."
But Remy shook his head looking down trying to hide his tears behind his long bangs. "Non, dey don' want me with dem," he whispered. "I heard dem." He leaned his head on his knees closing his eyes and taking deep breaths to stop his whirlwind of emotions from surfacing.
Logan looked down at the sad figure huddled back against the headboard of a room that was fast becoming not just a sanctuary but a prison. Sitting down beside Remy he reached out and placed his right arm around the younger man's shoulders and pulled the empath to him letting the boy lean against him and Remy giving in to his emotions buried his head against Logan's chest and cried softly.
It took several minutes for the empath to calm and Logan held him saying nothing but rubbing the thin shoulders and back and pushing calming emotions at Remy as he waited for the kid to compose himself.
When he was sure Remy was ready he cupped the Cajun's chin with his left hand forcing Remy to look at him. Red on black eyes, bright with tears blinked at Logan as Wolverine smiled. "Harry's ain't the only bar in town kid. Now get your coat and meet me by my jeep. I ain't got all night to wait." He let Remy go and stood, heading for the door, giving the boy a couple of minutes to pull himself together.
Remy watched Logan leave and then stood up and headed for the bathroom to wash his face. He was embarrassed by his emotional outburst and couldn't believe he had ended up crying in Logan's arms.
He didn't want to consider what Logan must think of him now but it had felt so good to just be held and comforted by the older man. He wished he could be in those strong arms forever but he doubted Logan would be interested in him. No one was ever interested in him for long. At least no one he wanted he amended with a shudder.
A little while later Remy found himself in small booth in the back of a quiet little bar a few miles from the mansion.
It wasn't a brightly lit room, no flashing lights, no loud music. There was a TV in the corner, tuned to a sports channel and some men and women were sitting at the bar sipping drinks and chatting. It wasn't overly crowded but there were pockets of people about including two young women who kept looking over at Remy and smiling before turning back and giggling and Logan imagined it would only be a matter of time before Remy had their phone numbers.
The lighting was low which suited Remy's sensitive eyes as he watched the waitress deliver the second round of drinks; a beer for Logan and a double shot of bourbon for himself.
Smiling at the woman, Remy reached for his wallet but Logan halted him. "My party Cajun, I get to pay." Wolverine handed her some money before turning back to the boy. "I'm beginning to worry about ya kid. You're slipping away if not physically than mentally." Logan didn't mention the emotional scene he had witnessed earlier.
Remy never showed any of his emotions except anger - always hiding his feelings behind a series of masks, something that was probably not easy to do considering the kid was an empath.
Remy looked down into the bourbon and sighed not strong enough to look at Logan as he answered. "I'm thinkin of leavin. Dere's no place at the mansion for dis Cajun. De others don' think of me as an x-man. Dey don' think of me as friend, some don' even think of me as human." He reached down and polished off the second shot. "You and Stormy talk to me. De others," he shrugged and signaled the waitress who came over to smile at the handsome young man. "You best leave de bottle here, cherie," he suggested as she brought more bourbon.
"You got friends Rem, maybe not Wings but he ain't the only x-man."
Remy leaned back against the seat as he felt the effects of the strong drink roll over him. He knew he should go slower on the alcohol, he hadn't eaten since breakfast not wanting to eat with the others and he hadn't been out drinking in a very long time but with the way his emotions were running rampant he wanted to lose himself in the bottle of bourbon.
Glancing over at Logan, Remy shook his head. "Gambit's more a realist den you Wolvie."
"Ya gotta stick this out Gumbo. Running away won't make things better. Anyway, try and run and I'll just hunt you down and drag you back." Logan said it lightly as he lifted his mug of beer but his gaze was sharp and Gambit could tell he wasn't kidding.
"Non," Remy shook his head a bit more aggressively than he meant, his red hair falling all around his shoulders as he considered Logan for a moment before pouring another shot of bourbon and downing it with a grimace. "It's too cold up here both in de mansion and out for dis Cajun."
Wolverine could understand both references and though there was nothing to be done about the temperature outside, the younger mutant would just have to push back at the others if he wanted acceptance within. The problem was Remy's own guilt over what had happened kept him from challenging the others and so he endured the isolation. Not something good for an empath. But that was not a problem to tackle tonight. Right now Wolverine wanted the boy to relax and have some fun. He had been wound up too tight.
"This weather is nothing Gumbo, you should see winters where I come from."
"Northerners," Remy tried to frown with disapproval but the frown turned into a smile as the bourbon relaxed him. "De cold goes to your brain cher."
"I think it more likely the heat fries yours, Cajun," Wolverine countered raising an eyebrow as Remy poured more bourbon. "Don't you think you should slow down kid?"
But Gambit shook his head sipping the drink. "Remy's not a kid ya know."
"Right," Logan agreed patronizingly but Remy already more than half drunk gave him a smile in response that lit up his whole face and made him look much younger.
"It's a good ting you drove Wolvie. Gambit's beginnin ta feel da bourbon."
"Yeah well I figured you'd need someone to get you home. But you should slow down or I might take advantage of you."
Remy laughed in response knowing he would be more than happy to have Logan do just that though he knew the x-man would never want him. "Comment?"
Logan smiled as the Cajun dropped into French. Fortunately, it was a language that Logan, a Canadian, had more than passing acquaintance with.
"How?" He translated. "Oh I don't know I might make you give up some of your secrets." It wasn't actually what Logan had in mind but he wasn't going to tell Remy he was attracted to the kid. The empath had enough to worry about right now.
"Secrets," Remy snorted. "Mon ami, you ave more secrets dan Gambit."
"No, I don't have secrets. I just don't have memories." Wolverine protested before going on to talk about Project X. In turn, Remy talked about New Orleans as he continued drinking until he emptied the bottle of bourbon. The two had shared many a night like this before and the conversation was light and easy; relaxing both. Just before closing, Remy got up to use the restroom and returned with several phone numbers. Logan laughed watching the unsteady Cajun navigate his way back to the seat.
"What'ch got there Rem?"
"Some filles dey wan to go out. And one," he handed Logan a slip, "be very interested in you homme. She asked if you available." He waved his hand in a direction where absolutely no one was standing, his words slurring. "She pretty." He dropped next to Logan with a grin that made the older mutant smile. This was the real Remy, it was just a shame that no one ever got to see this side of the kid anymore.
"I don't think I'll need this piece of paper. I have my eye on someone prettier than the girls over at the bar," Logan answered watching Remy closely.
The young empath looked around. "Qui?" he asked looking for the person who had captured Logan's attention.
"It doesn't matter, kid. I'm not getting that person tonight." He pulled Remy up and headed for the door half dragging, half carrying the drunk empath. "It's time we went home."
The ride home was quiet as Gambit drifted off to sleep and Logan took his time not ready to relinquish the young man just yet. He knew something had to be done or the empath would leave. He just wasn't sure what. He pulled into the garage quietly and getting out walked over to the passenger's door opening it and catching the Cajun as Remy practically fell out opening his eyes blearily.
"Logan, we home?"
"Yeah, keep quiet Rem. We don't want to wake the others. I'll help you get to your room."
"Merci, Wolvie" he whispered as Logan's arms circled him holding him up. Remy liked the feeling of being in the older man's arms and snuggled in, enjoying the warmth and protection they provided as they moved forward.
They had just reached the door when Scott opened it. "Hi Scott," Remy called out and then realizing he had spoken loudly, covered his mouth with his hand giggling as Scott glanced first at Remy, a small smile of amusement twitching across his lips and then at Logan a little more seriously.
"Hank told me what happened tonight," he whispered. "How you were yelling at Bobby and Warren in the van."
"Yeah," Logan could feel his hackles rising; ready to berate their leader with something of the same lecture, not caring who he woke in the process.
"I'm glad; it's about time someone stood up for the kid." Logan stopped both surprised and pleased by the response as Scott continued. "We do have to deal with this, not only for Gambit's sake but for the team's. Let's talk about it in the morning."
Logan nodded as Scott indicated Remy. "You want me to help you with him?"
"Nah, I'll put him to bed. Thanks Cyke." He tightened his hold on the Cajun and started for the stairs but as Remy stumbled forward, Logan gave up and scooped the young man into his arms carrying him.
Remy tried to protest but Logan hushed him, telling him to be quiet and Remy settled into Logan's arms almost immediately drifting off to sleep with a contented smile. In Remy's room, Logan put the kid on the bed and held him up as he undressed the Cajun, leaving him in just his boxers before laying him down and throwing blankets over him.
Looking down at the young man, Logan reached out and pushed back a strand of silky red hair before caressing the Cajun's face, the skin soft beneath his fingers.
"Yeah, someone a lot prettier than those girls," he stated softly before turning and leaving the room.
end