"Come again?" While the words were polite, Logan's voice came out more like a growl than a request. In truth, Charles was surprised. He'd expected a more... violent reaction.

"As I said," the Professor put his hands together, still eying Logan cautiously, "I received a message not an hour ago, from one Remy LeBeau, better known as Gambit. He's requested a place among us here, in the Institute."

"And you said...?"

"I said that I would have an answer for him once I consulted the rest of the Institute staff," Charles replied, levelling the rest of his staff with a steady gaze. Ororo had put her cup of tea down in the interest of listening more attentively. Hank had his head resting thoughtfully in his hands, elbows propped up on the arms of the stuffed chair he was seated at. There were two empty chairs: Charles was recently allowing Scott and Jean to sit with them during some staff meetings, being that they were now instructors and had every right to be consulted. But today they were both off in their respective campuses. It was a bit of a miracle they were being allowed to pursue a college-level education at all, so they were both taking even things like attendance quite seriously.

Logan had straighted from his position leaning on the frame of the door to Charles' study. "I don't like this," He frowned. "Why would the Cajun want to join us? Suspicious, if you ask me."

"Perhaps for the same reason Piotr has elected to stay on with us," Hank mentioned, thinking on the young Russian who, they'd discovered, no longer had a place to stay following his defection from Magneto's team. Charles offered him a place in the mansion after the Apocalypse incident, and Piotr had been with them ever since. "Both were on Magneto's team of Acolytes, were they not?"

"Yeah, but Tin Man actually showed up to help us out with Apocalypse," Logan pointed out. "The Cajun couldn't even be bothered to send us a No thanks, not interested in saving the world memo."

"Perhaps it was not that he didn't, but he couldn't send us a 'memo', Logan," Ororo said, arching an eyebrow at his words. "Somehow I do not get that kind of impression from Remy."

Logan rolled his eyes; Ororo was a good woman, but sometimes she was a little blind. "Right, because we can trust the guy who basically stalked, kidnapped and used one of our most volatile kids to solve his personal family shit to be reliable. Tell me another one, 'Ro."

She folded her arms. "I am not saying he is entirely trustworthy,"

"- Sure sounded like it,"

"Just that he does not seem like the type to refuse to help without sound reason." she continued, as though Logan hadn't interrupted, "After all, did he not prove himself somewhat reliable when he agreed to chaperone you and Sabretooth on that trip to Tibet?"

Logan growled. Fine, yeah, had the kid not been around, he and Creed probably wouldn't have even made it to the airport that day without killing each other. Still.

"Still don't think it's a good idea to let him near the kids." He grunted.

"To be fair, neither do I," mused Hank. "I will admit that he is likely nowhere near as bad as we make him out to be. We were wrong about Piotr, after all. However, given his track record, I do agree with Logan that exercising a measure of caution in this instance would be in our best interest..."

Charles nodded. "Yes, I thought as much, myself. That is why I was wondering if perhaps you would take him under your wing, Ororo, should this all push through."

"Me?" Storm blinked, startled by the recommendation. Logan's own eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Yes," Charles gave her a warm smile. "I've noticed that Piotr has taken to you quite well these last few weeks, and thought perhaps that will give you an advantage when dealing with young Mr. LeBeau..."

"And besides," he added, "Hank has his hands full with the New Mutants, and somehow I don't believe leaving him with Logan would be wise..."

Hank chuckled at Ororo's thoughtful frown. "I wouldn't worry overly much, my dear. As much of a troublemaker as he seems, I doubt that Gambit will be more trouble than my own troop of troublesome teenagers."

"Famous last words, Henry." she couldn't help but quip back, smiling wryly. Yes, Remy was older than most of the students, but she knew that age didn't always come with maturity. She turned back to Charles and smiled ruefully. You know I find it hard to refuse you anything, Charles.

And that is still no fault of mine, my dear, he thought back, smiling in return.

"... All right, I'll do it." She said out loud, nodding.

"Thank you," Charles folded his hands together, a gesture Logan had come to recognize as Charles' version of meeting adjourned. "Of course, I feel that we should consult Piotr himself on the matter before we make any final decisions. But if all goes well, Remy should be joining us soon."

Logan's scowl only deepened, not liking how it already sounded as though a decision was already being made.

"Fine. But I ain't gonna be the one to tell Rogue about this."

xoxo

Two weeks later, Remy rolled into Institute driveway on a gleaming black motorcycle. It was midday on a Tuesday, so most of the mansion's residents were away getting an education.

He stopped the bike right by the front doors where Xavier, Pete and the woman called Storm were waiting.

"Welcome to the Institute, Gambit," Charles began, smiling as Remy pulled off his helmet. "I trust your trip went well?"

Remy shook the proffered hand, a devil-may-care smile making his eerie red-on-black eyes twinkle. "Well 'nough, Professor. T'anks again, for havin' me over."

"It's no trouble," he replied. "There is always a place for wayward mutants here at the Institute. We are glad to have you here, Gambit."

"Jus' Remy, s'il vous plait."

"Remy, then." Charles smiled, and then gestured to Piotr and Storm standing just behind him. "You've already met Piotr, of course. And this here is Ororo Munroe, whom you know as Storm." Ororo stepped forward and stretched out a hand to Remy with a warm, welcoming smile.

"Storm here will show you to your rooms," Charles continued as Remy shook her hand, "Like Piotr, you will operate under her jurisdiction for now, if you choose to stay with us here at the Institute..."

"Had a feelin' you'd assign me a babysitter," Gambit interrupted the Professor, grinning slyly. "'Course, I didn' expect to have my every move watched by such a belle femme, not that I'm complainin', o'course." He turned her hand over and pressed a soft, gentlemanly kiss over her knuckles. "Pleased to make y'acquaintance, finally, Mademoiselle Stormy."

Charles hid a smile as Ororo raised a brow, her warm smile turning cool and only faintly amused. "... Please, call me Ororo. I insist." She'd made no move to take her hand back, but Remy could've sworn that the temperature around them dropped a few degrees.

Piotr's quiet laughter behind her was a deep, basso rumble. "I would not press your luck, Gambit," he said, smiling slightly, "You and I are lucky to be on Storm's team rather than the Wolverine's, but she is still quite a force to be reckoned with..."

"Ain't dat a fact, for all the X-Women even, eh?" He shook Piotr's hand, grinning up at the much taller mutant. "T'anks for the recommendation, homme. Now, y'gonna give me the grand tour, or is Remy gonna hav'ta find out which room is Rogue's for hisself?"

If you're looking for a Gambit-joins-the-Institute fic of a more serious nature, allow me to redirect you to IronRaven's Deluge and Rapture. Alternatively, to IronRaven's They Never Trained Me For This, chapter 5. (While you're at it, just... read anything by Sir Raven, he's kind of awesome. Not in the least because he also beta'd this, among other fics, for me!)

This one will be more slice-of-life (like all my other fic; what is angst or action even) and have a definite platonic!Storm/Remy bias (because why not). There will be some echoes of Romy, probablymaybe, but more of the variety where Remy will be pestering Stormy for advice on how he can lure the elusive Rogue into his waiting arms (when he isn't just... pestering Stormy in general) with a dash of Piotr/Remy being Bros (because why not seriously) and Piotr/Storm doing the brosis thing.