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Due to the nature of his upbringing, lifestyle and work, Remy knew a thing or two about skincare and make-up. Maybe more than two. Maybe a lot.
Actually, scratch that. The only person able to outplay him in the disguise department in his family was his sister-in-law. Everyone else dimmed before his skills.
Beside, of course, the hair trimming. He failed there once and no one was letting him forget the unfortunate year he wore his hair in a bowl-cut.
Remy’s turf was eye coverage - which wasn’t a surprise, given his eyes. He knew how to handle contacts, scleras, even mascaras, and of course, eye shadows. He also knew which brands were good and which weren't, wouldn’t spare any money on getting quality stuff.
Which led him here, standing in the make-up store and staring at an eye-shadow palette like it held the secrets of the universe.
Honestly, he wasn’t going to get anything other than his usual moisturizer today, but there was a new collection and he just took a peek out of curiosity and… Well, he was staring.
It wasn’t what he usually went for, not that useful for concealment purposes. And if Remy was being honest, if his brother or any of his cousins saw him at the moment, they’d never let him forget it, but he cared pretty little.
There were shimmers, mattes, dark and moody and absolutely screaming “goth” in bold letters. Greens, golds, dark reds and violets…
He thought of Rogue because of course he thought of Rogue. If he was honest, he liked her without make up, without her hair straightened - he liked her in the morning when she would come down to get her coffee, grumbling like an angry gator and yet so adorable. He liked her real, he liked her uncovered (in any way she was choosing to be), he liked her to be her… But Rogue loved her make up, loved her style and loved her armor.
And Remy… Well, Remy loved her.
Gambit realized what happened only when he blinked and his mind cleared, revealing him standing at the front step of the X-Mansion, where he lived for a couple months now. The palette felt heavy in the bag and Remy sighed. He hoped Rogue wouldn’t curse him out for the gift he bought her. She called him an idiot when he brought her flowers, but there was always something warmer under the sass, and Remy would take anything she was giving him. He was attentive, tried to get her what she liked and wanted, but he never tried to give her anything like this.
One of the first things Kitty warned him off was giving Rogue any “girlie stuff”. Not that he was thinking about bringing her anything pink and ribbon-y, unless she wanted to try it out, of course, but that probably included make-up. Even if he was relatively sure Rogue would like it.
Remy sighed and braced himself for a possibility of being ridiculed. Then, he went inside.
He found Rogue alone in one of her favorite places inside the mansion - her favorite outside place was, of course, the gazebo, - which was the library. After a day of training she liked to relax away from everyone with a book in her hands. As Remy saw his favorite girl curled up in one of the armchairs, her legs tucked under her, her face peaceful, he couldn’t help the flutter in his chest or the smile that broke out on his lips. Sure, before she noticed him, he made sure it was more of his usual smirk than anything embarrassing.
“There you are, chérie,” Gambit drawled, walking in and announcing his presence. He saw the way Rogue made sure to take in a deep sigh and look at him with the most unimpressed expression, but her eyes shimmered with those green sparks people kept missing and he never did, and Remy smiled wider. “Been lookin’ for you all over de mansion.”
“Guess I didn’t hide well enough,” she answered, deliberately flat, looking back down into her book.
“Ah, don’t be like that,” Remy purred, coming up to Rogue and leaning into her space, holding the bag with his gift behind his back. He was sure she’s already clocked him hiding something, judging by the way she narrowed her beautiful eyes, giving him another look. “I come bearin’ gifts.”
Rogue arched her eyebrow.
“You know what happened to Troy, when the Greeks came bearin’ gifts?” she asked, and Remy lowered his eyes to her book.
“Iliad tonight? Fancy,” he said with respect. Rogue’s face turned from unimpressed to bemused.
“You read it?”
Remy shrugged.
“Jean-Luc had all kinds of books in his office and I have an eye for valuables. One of them happened to be that old Greek thing,” he grinned and Rogue let out a breathless chuckle before shaking her head and looking back down to her book. “Speaking of valuables…”
Remy lowered to one knee, dramatic to no end, his face smug. Rogue narrowed her eyes on him again, the distrust to his antics obvious on her face.
“What are you doing?”
“Giving you a present.”
“What for?”
“You bein’ de best woman in this house ain’t enough?”
“Cajun…” Rogue drawled in warning, but Remy already swept his hands from behind his back and presented the bag to her like a knight giving his lady a rose.
For a long moment, Rogue just stared.
“...is that make-up?”
Remy tried really hard not to let his heart - and his mask - drop.
“Oui.”
Rogue looked up at him, and Remy felt sweat trickle down his spine.
“You bought me make-up.”
Then, her eyes narrowed as she eyed him.
“You did buy it, didn’t you?”
“Course I did,” Remy huffed, feeling his smile getting more nervous. “Remy learned his lesson.”
Bon Dieu, he went into third person. He really was panicking.
Rogue hummed, then carefully reached for the bag in his arms, picking it up and making sure their hands weren’t touching - she never wore gloves for reading, loving the texture of the paper. And just as she did, a familiar voice rang through the library.
“Rogue, there you are! I was just-” Kitty stopped, mid-phased through the wall, staring at the scene in front of her. “Am I interrupting something?”
Remy didn’t know what to say. Rogue looked at her former roommate with wide eyes, holding the gift in her hands and he was still on one knee in front of her. Kitty’s gaze bounced between them until it landed on the package and she gasped, recognizing the store it was from.
“Is that make-up?!”
Rogue sighed heavily, rolling her eyes.
“Yeah. Swamp Rat here apparently thinks I need something else to cover my face with.”
Remy snapped his eyes to Rogue, scowling.
“Hang on now…”
Rogue ignored him, finally opening the bag up. Kitty winced.
“I swear, Cajun, if it’s some kind of blush or something else to make me look livelier, I will knock you…”
She stopped, words getting stuck in her throat. Remy watched with bated breath, as Rogue carefully removed the rest of the packaging and pulled the palette out, her eyes growing wide and shining.
For a moment, there was silence as Rogue opened the palette, met with dark and beautiful shades, the mirror inside. Remy cleared his throat awkwardly.
“If you don’t like it…”
Next moment, Rogue moved, grabbing him by his shirt and pulling him after, making Remy stumble and stutter.
“Later, Kitty!” she called without looking back and Gambit shrugged as he was dragged past the other girl.
His anxiety turned into thrill the moment he realised Rogue was pulling him towards her room.
“Is somethin’ about to happen?” he chuckled, and the look Rogue gave him over her shoulder made his cheek hot like he was some young stupid pup.
Soon enough, Remy all but fell on his ass on her bed, still blinking like an idiot, while Rogue was rummaging through her room.
“Dere’s brushes too,” Remy mumbled, his accent growing thicker with his confusion, and Rogue looked into the bag again, finding the second part of his gift and looking absolutely thrilled.
Did Kitty even know what she was talking about, telling him Rogue wasn’t into any “girlie” stuff?..
She was ecstatic over a new eye shadow and some decent make-up brushes. Next thing he knew, she really would be wearing something white and floral and a part of jorts.
Watching Rogue work was its own pleasure, both on the battlefield and in normal life. Remy relaxed, tracing the practiced motions of her hands with his gaze as she applied the shades and blended them together into a dark green smoky look.
When she finally turned to him, Remy felt his heart stutter in his chest.
She was stunning.
Not only because of the amazing, masterfully done make-up, but because of the smile that was wide on her lips.
Before Remy knew it, her smile turned into a leer.
“Now, it ain’t nice for me to enjoy all that by myself,” she drawled in a honeyed voice and Remy felt the threat coming his way instatnly.
He tilted his head, grinning right back.
“You fixin’ to beauty up this Cajun?”
Rogue let out a giggle that sounded more like a menace, and got up from her chair, walking up straight to him, palette and brushes in hands.
Remy wasn’t afraid of some make-up. But when Rogue put her hand on his chest and pushed him against her pillows, he felt eyes widen and his heart lodge in his throat.
“Hands to yourself, swamp boy,” she ordered and Remy instantly folded his hands on his stomach. It wasn’t his hands he was worried about because Rogue climbed up and settled right in his lap.
If there’s a God, please, don’t let me get a…
Remy almost stopped breathing, having Rogue so close. She reached for a pair of her thinner gloves, put them on, and examined his face with a critical eye before turning to the palette.
“We gonna try something,” she mused, putting the clean brush into one of the few neutral colors. “Gotta prep you first.”
Oh, I’m prepped alright.
“Okay,” Remy all but croaked and Rogue grinned mischievously, looking down at him and looking downright wicked.
“Is the big bad Gambit afraid of some make-up?” she cooed teasingly. Remy chuckled, his eyes never leaving her face. Oh, this certainly was a position bound to return to his thoughts in the future.
“Not at all, chère,” he grinned right back, trying to keep his body behaving. “Just wonderin’ what kinda look you have for me.”
Rogue hummed, motioning for him to close his eyes.
“We gonna accent your eyes,” she said. Remy froze. Let out a nervous laugh.
“Don’t think they need much of an accent, Rogue,” he said, lower. “Kinda hard to miss’em as dey are.”
Rogue let out another hum, picking up another color with her brush.
“Yeah,” she agreed simply. “That’s why I’m goin’ for it. Gotta use the beauty you already have. Just pull it to the surface.”
Remy stayed quiet after that. Rogue worked, concentrated completely on the task at hand. When she was satisfied with her work, she smiled, sitting back on his thighs.
“There. All pretty now.”
Remy blinked, feeling his face heat up as Rogue reached for a mirror to show him her work. The moment he saw himself, Gambit stared.
His lids were covered in a pretty shade of red, shimmering with silver and magenta sparkles in the inner corner of his eye. Mercy once told him it was hard to have a red make-up look without making it look like a pink eye. This was nothing short of a masterpiece… And it really brought his eyes out even more. He didn’t know how he felt about it.
Remy reached for his face before he could think.
“Hey, don’t touch it yet!”
Rogue narrowed her eyes on him, a wipe in her hand.
“Put too much on this one,” she grumbled, leaning close and wiping the excess off. Remy stopped breathing.
She was so close he could feel her breath. And she was so beautiful, her eyes sparkling with gold shimmer on a dark green base. He couldn’t look away.
As if feeling his eyes on her, Rogue paused.
For a long second, they just looked in each other's eyes, both breaths hitching as they suddenly realized the proximity of their position.
Remy felt his heart hammer as he saw Rogue’s eyes flicker to his lips. He couldn’t help the grin.
“Thinkin’ ‘bout paintin’ me with a lipstick too?” he teased. Rogue huffed a warm breath that licked at his face and made shivers run down his spine.
“Not quite,” she murmured.
The cool texture of the wipe lowered to his face. Then, the soft fabric of the gloves on his stubbled jaw.
Then, the warmth and solidity of Rogue’s lips against his.
Whatever madness this was, Remy was all for it. He kissed her back through the wipe. Pushing his luck, Gambit let his hands move, lowering to her thighs, fingers curling just behind her knees.
The kiss ended just as abruptly as it started.
Remy opened his eyes, breathless despite the brevity of it, and stared.
Rogue looked down at him, her hand on his chest, the other brushing one of her white strands behind her ear. She was so beautiful, flushed and wide-eyed and just as surprised as he was.
Before he could ruin the moment, Rogue cleared her throat, scrambled off his lap, gathering all the make-up and the brushes and all but ran to her mirror. He could see the tips of her ears tinted pretty pink.
“Thank you, Remy,” she said, voice tight like she was trying to hold herself together. “For the gift. It’s nice.”
Remy propped himself up on his elbows, watching her putting everything away. She was fidgeting and he saw it, and the grin on his face was only growing wider.
She kissed him. Bon Dieu, she kissed him.
“You can go now.”
Remy snorted softly. Of course, now she wanted him to get the hell away so she could freak out in peace.
“Wash it off or somethin’.”
Like hell was he washing that masterpiece off.
“Don’t think I will, chère,” he drawled lazily, standing up. Rogue whirled her head to look at him with wide eyes. Gambit just leered in response. “Lookin’ all pretty, ain’t I?”
She sputtered trying to form words as Remy waltzed to the door and bowed to her in his overly dramatic matter.
“Think next time we gotta try something more… Risky,” he winked and disappeared behind the door before she could have a heart attack or throw one of the brushes at him.
He heard Rogue groan behind the door and laughed lightly, turning on his heel, a newfound spring in his step.
Yeah.
He was totally going to buy her some more make-up.
Maybe they should put on some lipstick on him next time.
