A/N: OK this is my first attempt at a ROMY fic, and the first time I've written any kind of fanfic in years so bear with me. Please review and let me know what you think.

This is an AU fic with no mutants, just lots of lovely ROMY moments!

I will try to write with accents, but they will be minimal, and I prefer the power of imagination. I do speak some French, but I'm not fluent, so if there are any dodgy translations forgive me.

P.S. I'm British so any weird phrases, words, spellings etc. are probably down to that.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing.

o-o-o-o-o-o

Rogue was terrified. She hadn't had a date in 6 years, and quite frankly she'd completely forgotten how the whole thing was supposed to work. When you've been in a relationship for so long, let alone been engaged, you conveniently forget about the angst of the dating world of singletons.

Then again it wasn't like her relationship with Joseph was without its fair share of angst. And at least when you're single people can't cheat on you…

"For God's sake Rogue would you leave your hair alone!" Betsy scolded.

Rogue was wrenched out of her thoughts by her British friend slapping her hands away from her artfully arranged auburn curls.

"Ah'm sorry. Ah'm just so darned nervous. Ah need something to keep ma hands preoccupied." Rogue replied in way of an apology.

"Well that shouldn't be a problem once you're with him…at least it wouldn't be if it was me in your shoes…" Kitty trailed off with a lusty sigh.

"I know. Honestly, just one look at that man and I'm fighting thoughts of licking his naked…"

OOMPH!

Rogue threw a pillow at Betsy before the woman could continue voicing her x-rated thoughts. She rolled her eyes at her friends. Trying to keep their minds out of the gutter was just like fighting nature; pointless. Though if she was being truthful Rogue had to admit she had a few of her own x-rated thoughts about this guy. She couldn't help it, he was the epitome of the phrase 'sex on legs'. Every time she saw him in the hall to their apartment block she had to stop herself from drooling over him. And there had been a few embarrassing moments where she had completely zoned out whilst ogling him and not been able to answer his questions. Fortunately with the help and encouragement of her two best friends she'd managed to pluck up the courage for a bit of harmless flirting, which had led her to become the current bundle of nerves pacing round her bedroom.

"Well if that's how you're going to thank me I'll take my fashion advice and wardrobe elsewhere," Betsy said in a tone of mock indignation.

"Fine. Ah'm sorry. But could we please keep the conversation to a more PG rating, ah'm flustered enough as it is?" Rogue bargained. She dreaded the thought of having to choose an outfit without Betsy's help. It took her long enough to get dressed for work in the morning.

"You're no fun!" Kitty sulked, poking her tongue out at Rogue in pretend petulance.

Rogue stuck her tongue out back at Kitty, and the two women proceeded to chase each other round the room, ending in a pillow fight.

Betsy sighed inwardly and clapped her hands loudly to be heard over the fits of giggles coming from the other two. Honestly it was like dealing with children sometimes.

"Girls, we do have a date to get ready for in case you've forgotten?" Betsy reminded the other with a questioning raise of her eyebrow. "Or would you rather I sent you out there in your underwear?"

"Well he'd definitely get the point that way…"

Rogue silenced Kitty with a final blow of the pillow.

"Ah'm sorry Betsy. Ah'll…we'll…behave." Rogue placated glaring pointedly at Kitty.

The three women proceeded to trail through the seemingly endless amount of clothes amassed between them. Fortunately they'd had the insight to give themselves the better part of the afternoon to get Rogue ready. They finally decided on a white strapless dress which cut off above the knee and accentuated Rogue's tanned skin and auburn hair. They matched chunky green jewellery to Rogue's eyes and added a pretty grey cardigan, embroidered with little flowers round the collar (just to keep out the cold evening air). The overall effect was the perfect blend of sexy and cutesy without going overboard on either one.

Kitty and Betsy left her with assurances of how great she looked, and the promise that she would phone them tomorrow and tell them everything that happened.

Rogue smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Getting dressed up had just about convinced her that she could breeze through the evening easily. Then there was a knock at the door. Suddenly all her previous anxiety welled up inside her and lodged inside her throat as she opened the door to find one devastatingly sexy Cajun leaning casually against the frame.

"Bon soir, chèrie."

o-o-o-o-o-o

She'd caught his attention as soon as he'd moved into the building. She had been climbing the stairs in front of him as he'd carried stuff up to his new apartment, oblivious to his presence, reading through her mail. Remy had stared openly at the pair of long, slender, tanned legs that emerged from a pair of rather small denim shorts and the glossy auburn curls that trailed down her back. He'd been so engrossed in watching the sway of her hips as she'd climbed the stairs that he failed to notice he'd reached the top until he stumbled over an imaginary step. The box he was carrying fell to the floor noisily and she jumped.

Real smooth LeBeau, throwing yourself at her feet so soon.

"Are you alright?" the woman asked in a southern accent. She had turned round from her door and was staring at him with concerned green eyes.

Mon Dieu, dis is one belle femme. Perhaps it be my lucky day after all.

"Mais oui. Just not paying attention to where I was going." He smiled warmly as he began picking things from the floor.

She knelt down to help him and smiled.

"Tell me 'bout it. Ah'm always falling down or tripping up those darned stairs."

She leant forward to place something in the box, and granted him a view of her ample cleavage.

Definitely my lucky day.

Remy smiled seductively at her. "Well maybe I'll have de pleasure of catching you one day." He winked. "Seeing as we be neighbours and all."

She blushed furiously and let out a small giggle. Then looked as is she was admonishing herself internally.

He stood up and opened the door to his apartment.

"Be seeing you again soon, chére."

Oh yes, he was definitely going to like living here.

o-o-o-o-o-o

Over the next month they'd slowly got to know each other better through chance meetings in the hall and such. She'd even invited him in for coffee on a few occasions. The more time Remy spent with her the more he liked her. She was beautiful, that went without saying, but she was funny and intelligent too. He could sense they shared the same wicked streak, though his was much closer to the surface than hers. But there was something reserved about her, like she wasn't being her full self, like a layer of protection.

At first she reacted to his ostentatious flirting with blushes and mumbles. But slowly she seemed to gain confidence and he'd see flashes of wickedness in those gleaming green eyes. She'd almost have him, Remy LeBeau, tongue-tied on occasions when she'd come out with some deliciously dirty double entendre, flick her hair over her shoulder and flash him a seductively suggestive smile.

After four weeks of torturous anticipation, Remy caved. He wanted the chance for this amicable flirting to move up a level. He wanted her to know that he wanted her. He wanted to tell her all the things he'd imagined doing to her alone in bed at night. He wanted to touch her. He wanted to tell her how he hadn't been able to look at another femme since he'd set eyes on her. He wanted a date.

And so Remy LeBeau found himself leaning on her door frame one autumn evening. He barely managed to keep from pulling her into his arms and kissing her deeply when she opened her door, looking stunningly sexy. Definitely not proper first date etiquette. Instead he settled for a chaste kiss on the hand accompanied by a gallant bow.

"Bon soir, chérie."

She rolled her eyes at him and his affected sense of chivalry.

"C'mon swamp rat. Ah ain't got all night."

Dieu give me strength…