Disclaimer: I don't own any of the X-Men or any of the other characters, I just enjoy them. .

Author's note: I'm doing this as part of a 50 prompt challenge that I gave myself to hopefully give my muse a jumpstart to her ass. Hopefully, it will prove helpful. ;) If all works out, that means there are 49 more of these on the way, though I know it'll take awhile. Enjoy! Review! Let me know what you think!

Remy LeBeau stood in the Mansion's spacious lobby, Professor Xavier looking up at him as though the bald man knew that it would be impossible for the Cajun to be anything but impressed. Remy was impressed, but he wasn't one to be show that. Not that he had to. Xavier could read his every thought, so it really didn't matter what he wanted to show. Xavier's smile was just further proof.

"Then you'll be staying with us?" the man asked, and Remy looked around a bit more, not entirely sure, before a woman walked down the stairs in front of him. He hesitated, watching her move, taking in every aspect of her form, and her emerald eyes rose as though she knew he was studying her. She held his gaze with a frown, finishing her way down the stairs, but it wasn't until she spoke that he'd made his decision.

"Who's da new boy, Professah?"

"Ah haven' been a boy in a long while, chere," he returned, her Southern accent a relief to his ears. He'd thought he'd left the fine Southern belles behind.

She hesitated, as though she'd been taken off guard, then turned and corrected herself without further comment. "Who's da swamp rat?"

"Rogue, this is Remy LeBeau, or Gambit. He's going to be joining our numbers. Right, Remy?" the man once more asked, and Remy looked from Rogue to him, then back.

"Righ'."

Remy didn't go on to regret that decision, though there were times that he thought he did. Rogue was his driving force whenever he started thinking that moving on might be his best option, and he stayed. He proved his worth in a rather short time to the rest of the team, though a few would never let that on, but Rogue was the one who didn't seem willing to develop a new opinion on the man. All he wanted was for her to stop and just give him a chance, but she was locked up so tight that his attempts were falling on deaf ears. Yes, he was aware of her power, but he was willing to try anyway. If she'd let him.

He was in the process of putting the finishing touches on his newest plan to win at least a kind THOUGHT from Rogue when she actually walked into the kitchen, blinking sleepily at seeing someone else in there so early. Remy had been up for a little while. Doing what? Making breakfast. A good, unhealthy Southern breakfast at that. "Mornin', chere. Hungry?"

Laid out before her were pancakes, bacon, sausage gravy and biscuits, and grits. She sat down almost hesitantly, as though she didn't know what to do about it, and looked up at him with just a touch of confusion on her sleepy face. "Wha's all this?"

"Breakfas', what else? Milk or juice?"

"...Juice. You made all this for yo'self?"

"Non. Made it for you."

That got another series of blinks, and he could practically hear the wheels turning in her head as she tried to decide what she wanted to do about it. He almost thought she might get up when she looked up at him again and picked up her fork. "Thanks." What really made his day was that she smiled to punctuate the comment.

"You're welcome." He couldn't help his own grin, pouring her a glass of juice, and he prepared them both a plate of food before sitting down. This was off to a nice start. "So, where in de South you from, Rogue?"

"Georgia, an' you?"

"N'awlins."

"S'what ah thought. Cajun, hmm. Bayou, or jus' da city?"

"Bit 'a both. Lived in de city when ah was young, but ah was moved out int' de bayou a bit later," he responded, shrugging. He wasn't getting into it all right then and there, not when he'd only just managed some friendly conversation in her.

It was a long breakfast, but they seemed to get along fairly well. The big problem was when someone else was going to burst in looking for food, which was what finally made Remy act. "Chere, if ah wanted t'do dis again, what would you say?"

She hesitated for a moment, as though trying to figure out if he was going to trick her, but apparently didn't find anything odd about what he'd asked. Perfect. Just what he'd hoped. "Sure, ah wouldn' mind. Ah had fun, an' it was all good."

"Den join me for dinna tonigh'?" Nobody could have mistaken the hopeful look in his red eyes, if they actually paid attention. It was probably best for him then that when Cyclops, Storm and Jean walked in discussing something, they didn't pay attention. Rogue's eyes immediately shot to the trio, who were just noticing that breakfast had already been made, and then back to Remy. Was she going to say no? Or just leave? He couldn't have made progress now, only to lose due to interference. But no, fate was not that cruel.

She nodded.