Chapter Text
A southwestern desert town was no stranger to odd happenings, especially out around these parts—where humans and mutants coexisted in near harmony.
But that harmony was disrupted as a strange murder had taken place deep in the night, with only the moon and the stars as witnesses to the bloodshed and pure darkness that seeped from the case.
There were many reports and tips on who had done such a heinous thing—yet none of them were too similar.
Some said a man as tall as a good-looking stallion had done it, covered head to toe in black as the moonlight illuminated his blood-stained hands.
Some said it was a woman, commanding and confident.
Some said it was a mutant with a winding tail that spoke of never-ending mischief.
Others said it was all three.
Others said it was none of them.
The one concise thing was that nobody knew. No one could agree on the suspect, the motive, the drive to spill blood in such a way as to rock their small town.
But that didn’t stop Anna Marie from finding the truth—from figuring out who had murdered a good man such as Piotr Rasputin—a well-respected man in their community. One who had brought them all together despite their differences and backgrounds that sang of both good and bad experiences. One who was not only fair, but kind—a judge who understood both sides of the coin of law.
Anna Marie pushed past the doors to the saloon with a grunt, adjusting her brown jacket and rolling her shoulders back as she walked to the bar like a woman on a mission.
“I need information on this fella right here,” she announced to the bartender, sliding over a wanted poster.
A bounty, yes, but a girl had to do what a girl had to do, especially if she wanted to get the scoop on who had taken down her friend.
The thing with this bounty—as Anna would never take one as low as this unless she was really struggling—was that it was for a man who was a potential subject in the murder.
She needed to know.
If she caught him, not only was she going to get information, but she was going to get a little pocket change as well.
“I never seen this man in my life.” He replied, narrowing his eyes at the paper for a moment before he went back to drying the glass in his hands.
“You sure about that, Sugah? Sources say he been wandering through this way—and we all know you seen the worst of us waltz through these doors.”
Her head tilted as her white and red hair fell across her shoulders—some of her bangs slipped to fall across her eyes before being blown away.
“I’m sure.. Now, you gonna buy something or keep botherin' me?”
She huffed, snatching the poster back and tucking it back into her pocket.
Dickhead.
Her eyes darted around the saloon before looking over as a new sound piqued her interest.
Her eyes landed on a man, dressed in a long, dark brown trench coat, one that had certainly seen better days, and black boots with similarly colored pants.
The man in the dark corner snickered, the playing cards shuffling deftly between his fingers.
“Ain’t that somethin’..”
He tipped his hat to further cover his dark eyes, a toothpick between his teeth moving as he worked his jaw.
“Ain’t what somethin’?” Came the woman’s voice before him, eyeing the stranger and the way he kicked his feet up like he owned the place—her hands placed on her hips.
“Nothin’, don’ you worry that pretty lil’ head.”
His accent struck her as odd, her head tilting.
“You ain’t from around here, are ya, Sugah?”
The man laughed and looked up from the brim of his hat, spitting the toothpick out beside him
“Maybe I am, maybe I ain’t.”
Anna Marie cocked a brow.
“You a long way from home.”
“So are you, chère.”
She narrowed her eyes.
He narrowed his back in challenge. A red iris against black sclera, filled with a glint of mischief.
Something was off about this man, and she was determined to figure it out.
Anna Marie slid into the chair across from him, leaning on her elbows as she got a good look at him, studying him.
His slender face hid beneath that hat of his, eyes dancing with mischief and slyness.
He reminded her of a lanky coyote, especially with his long limbs and his sly smile.
“What’s ya name?”
Her voice was strong, Mississippi accent thick and dripping like honey.
Maybe she could make friends with this fellow outcast.
She could use someone in her corner.
“How I know you won’t use it ‘gainst me?”
*Smart.* She had to give credit where credit was due.
He knew how to play his cards right and keep those remaining close to his chest… But it just made her even more curious about this stranger.
“I swear it, Sugah. You on the run?”
He chuckled again and resumed shuffling his cards absentmindedly.
“You can say that…” His head tilted and fell back—letting Anna see the light finally hit those sunkissed cheeks of his—the stubble along his jaw dark, yet not patchy enough to make her raise an eyebrow.
He was handsome; she had to give him that.
“You gonna tell me anything about yourself?”
The man before her raised a brow and looked at her with a sly smirk.
A dangerous coyote, she decided.
“Whatcha willin’ to do in return?”
Anna frowned, leaning onto her hand.
Again, his accent, it stumped her, making her question just exactly where it was from.
“I’ll tell you whatever you wanna know ‘bout me.”
Fair enough, right? She thought it would be an easy deal, but the smile widening on the man’s face told her otherwise.
“And what if I don’t wanna know anything about you?”
It was a lie—they both knew it—but Anna was willing to take the bait.
“Then that’s your loss, Sugah. I’ll find someone else to tell me.”
The man rolled his eyes and pushed his feet off the table, boots clunking to the ground as he leaned forward.
“Fine.” He sighed and adjusted his hat.
“You can call me Gambit.”
Well, that was enough of a name she was going to get.
This man had to be an outlaw—with a name like that and a dangerous look seemingly burned into his eyes.
“You a bandit?”
That smirk returned.
“Maybe I am. Who’s askin’?”
Anna Marie smiled in return.
“Rogue.”
Gambit gave a smile and hummed.
“You on the run with a name like that?”
He had thrown her question right back at her, causing her to snicker in return.
“Ain’t runnin’. Just on my own.”
Gambit leaned back against the wall, chair creaking beneath him.
“Pretty girl like you ain’t got a stallion travelin’ wit’ her?”
Rouge only pressed a finger to her lips.
“That’s a secret just between me an’ you.”
Gambit sucked in a breath through his teeth, shaking his head in a silent laugh.
“Touché.. You a smart girl.”
Her smile returned.
“And you’re sly, ‘specially with them cards in front of ya.”
His hands stilled on the deck, an eyebrow raised.
“Me? Sly? Ya got the wrong guy, chère.”
He flicked a card at her before standing and tipping his hat.
“Unfortunately, Gambit gotta run... You take care now, Rogue.” And with that, he walked away, trench coat just barely scuffing the ground before he pushed past the doors of the saloon and disappeared into the setting sun.
Anna Marie watched him go, a part of her screaming at her to rush after him—to find out more about this “Gambit”, but the more sane part of her held her in place—her hand fiddling with the card in her hands.
Looking down, she stifled a soft giggle.
A Queen of Hearts, slightly dog-eared at the corner—the remaining sides gently frayed.
It was a well-worn deck he had been shuffling; that much was obvious.
She hoped she could see him again—question him about the card, about him.