Clever as the Devil

Reyna looked up at the man at the top of the stairs, nodding at him with an unimpressed look. “Thanks,” she replied, dryly. The power inhibitors were an awful feeling, like cutting off part of her senses that she hadn’t even realised was there. They’d only made her already sour mood worse. “You could say that.”

She adjusted her bag as he offered a hand. “I’m alright. There’s not a lot of stuff.”

It was so… weird. Lupe had met Gambit before, but as an older man. She could see the man she knew in this younger one, but it was like someone had stripped away layers of him. Was this what it was going to be like meeting everyone here? Oh god, what about her parents? She tried not to stare, taking his instructions with a nod. But his conspirative whisper caught her attention. “Is that so?”

“All most positive, yeah. Horns too. Or so I hear.” Remy continued with a straight face. He tried winking at her but he wasn’t sure if she caught it. Her eyes seemed to avoid looking his way for too long. “Mais every time I stop by the man’s out. Jus’ got that old secretary in the wheelchair ta talk to. Now he’s the one you’ve really gotta worry ‘bout.”

Wade barely ever slept, and when he did it was only for an hour or two at a time. He was the master of cat naps. Cat naps? Nah, they slept all day if they could. So here he was banging on Remy’s door because he loved the guy. Hated him too, but loved him more. How long had he been standing here banging on the door? He’s not sure, but he heard Remy’s voice and perked up finally.

( There he is! Look, you can see his shadow moving towards the door! Do ya think he’s gonna be happy to see me? ) Wade turned his attention back to the door like Will Smith in the Fresh Prince intro and waited impatiently. He was about to knock again, but the door opened and Wade grinned. It wasn’t easy to tell he was grinning though.

“Is it my birthday? I definitely wished to see you naked, it’s not a secret.” Wade tried to push his way through the door to go inside Remy’s room.

Remy took a deep breath in and shut his eyes. One. Two. Three. He was almost positive whatever reason Wade was here was not so important that it warranted the consistent knocking. There were times--although he’d never admit it--when Remy found the man’s nonsense endearing. Now was not one of those times. By the time he’d finally opened his eyes Wade was no longer in front of him. Remy spun to see him making himself comfortable in his room. 

It hadn’t been a pleasant morning for Anna either. There she’d been, slumbering as peacefully as she could with the nightmares and voices that constantly plagued her, when she felt the softest of smacks on her nose. She had brushed it off, but then it happened again, and then again, and then the yowling started. “How in tha hell did ya get in ‘ere?” she grumbled as she sat up, holding the kitten up and away from her with her blanket as a barrier. She didn’t think she’d drain the poor thing, but she was so sleepy she wouldn’t take her chances.

“Your daddy ain’t feedin’ ya, hmm?” she asks groggily as she pulls on a long cardigan over her shorts and tank top. She ties the belt lazily then pulls on a pair of gloves before picking the noise maker back up. The little girl hadn’t stopped whining but Anna didn’t really believe she was starving. She thinks the stinker had slipped out with Remy none the wiser and found a way into her room to see what she could get out of her. 

So she doesn’t stop knocking, not until the door swings open and then she’s holding up the kitten to be face level with Remy. “Ah think ya lost somethin’.”

A sly grin formed as Remy realized who the knocking belonged to and what had happened. “Have I?” He laughed, taking the kitten from Rogue and holding her tight to his body to keep her from running off again. Not that this seemed likely, the little calico cat curled up happily in Remy’s arms and began to purr. “Pauvre ti bête.” He whispered to the cat.

7 A.M.? Who could possibly need him of all people at 7 A.M. on a Sunday? Remy had never been a particularly religious man but he knew well enough that Sunday was for resting or at least until nine for god sake.

Despite his best efforts the knocking did not stop. “Feet pue tan.” Remy swore under his breath and dragged himself up. No effort was made to dress beyond the underwear he’d slept in as he headed for the door. 

“What?” He said, still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

Well, shit. Penelope wasn’t sure that this was where she’d meant to end up, at the Xavier Institute. Not entirely sure on the date though. Clearly the past–maybe nearly thirty years in the past–but the specifics were difficult to pin down with this place. Even now, there was so many things here that were just… old. 

The speedster sighed, brushing her hair back from her eyes. This would have to do then. It would have to be careful, but it wasn’t like Lupe was trying to avoid changing things. 

“Excuse me,” she said, approaching the first person she saw. “Would you mind telling me where I can find Charles Xavier?”

“ ‘course.” Remy said. While he certainly made a habit out of being a flirt and a tease, she didn’t look like she needed that at the moment. She looked frazzled, which was surprisingly common among newcomers. After all, the x-men were something of a last resort for most. “Charlie’s office is down that left hand hall jus’ d’ere, you’ll find him in it probably. I’m happy to be an escort too that is.” He leaned into whisper all too seriously. “He can be a bit scare what with red scales and fangs and whatnot.”

She had nothing but a small duffle bag of belongings to her name, only here because a Professor Charles Xavier had come to stop her from being imprisoned for the kidnapping charges her step-father wanted to bring against her. She hadn’t even been able to teleport herself out of the police station, because they’d slapped power dampeners on her. That was a feeling Reyna never wanted to never have again.

Finally, as she stepped out of the van used to bring her to this mansion school place, they removed the dampeners and Reyna could feel her powers flow back into her. Not even waiting for any formalities, Reyna shouldered her bag and started walking up the steps to the house.

“Quite the entrance, mademoiselle.” Remy leaned lazily against one of column in the entryway, a cigarette hanging from his gloved hand. “No judgement, of course. Won’t say I’ve never been on da receiving end.” He tapped his neck. “Horrible.”

“Remy.” He flashed her a playful smile and extended a hand. “Need a hand?”