Work Text:
Every parent believes their child is special upon seeing them for the first time. A mother will hold her little baby in her arms, already memorising every little detail of her newborn, and dream of all the amazing things he or she will one day do. A father will feel the soft skin of his child’s cheek and fantasize about the many great things he or she will become. They coo over their child together, excitement building as they prepare to watch just how their baby will change the world.
Unfortunately, there is always the exception to the rule. Remy LeBeau is one of those exceptions.
When his parents saw the son they had brought into this world, they did none of those loving things one would expect of new parents. They instead looked away in horror, rejecting their child before he could even understand what that meant. They did not dream of what he would one day do; they dreaded it. They wanted no part in it. They wanted nothing to do with their gurgling little boy.
And all because of his burning red eyes.
Even as an adult, Remy’s eyes haunt and daunt those around him, their ominous glow off-putting to normal folk. Some see them as a sign from the devil, others see them as nothing more than an ugly or novel mutation. Some quote “the eyes are the window into the soul!” and run away, believing he must be just as dark and lethal on the inside.
No one understands the true beauty behind his eyes.
Remy’s power over kinetic energy is one of impressive strength and unique talent. He is able to use any ordinary item as a frightful weapon simply with a touch, with a little shift in physics. His favoured playing cards have broken ribs with a flick of his wrist. His bo staff has rocked the foundations of warehouses and skyscrapers alike, as the explosive energy ripples through their very frame.
This same slight manipulation has protected Remy’s mind from those who wish to intrude on his private thoughts. It has heightened his throwing accuracy, his speed, his agility. It safeguarded him through childhood, giving him not only defence but a purpose when he needed it most.
But all of this kinetic power has to come from somewhere, and just like with all mutants, Remy’s abilities come from within. His entire body buzzes with strength, with movement. It bounces around and through him, like waves of the ocean during a storm, beating against the walls of his body. Such force, such constant movement cannot exist without leaving a mark.
And hence Remy LeBeau’s glowing red eyes. They are a symbol of the sheer force within him. The concentration of kinetic energy that he possesses has mutated a great deal within his body, one that was learning to adapt before it had fully formed. His eyes are the only external proof of such survival instincts.
His eyes are more than a window into his soul. They are an example of great power being held in a small vessel.
They are what makes Remy LeBeau the mutant known as Gambit.
And they are magnificent.