Talking

[Gambit]

I’d be better if everyone would jus’ leave me alone, he thought, but didn’t voice it.

“T’anks fo’ de concern, but I be fine. I’ve survived worse den dat, wit’ fewer scars ta show fo’ it,” he replied, his voice having returned to the strange, emotionless one.

First Callie, den Chris, an’ now Larza? Didn’t know I was so highly regarded in dis place.

[Christine MacTaggart]

"I'm going to go," Christine said as she rose. "I'll be back later," she added, smiling faintly. "Don't wait up for me."

OOC: and continue following Christine's drinking nightmare in "Getting Plastered II - Grief"

[Gambit]

Remy nodded at Christine, as she excused herself from the room.

“Have a drink fo’ me,” he said to her. Hesitating a moment, he continued. “An’ Chris? Watch your back, hein? Take care o’ y’self.”<br>
If I let her go off, an’ anyt’in’ happens ta her…

[Christine MacTaggart]

"I'll be careful.." she whispered. "I promise." With that she silently made her way out of his room, and headed for the door.

[Gambit]

As Christine exited the room, Remy turned his eyes back to Larza, who still stood in the doorway, fidgeting with her gloves.

“So what can I do fo’ you, chere? Or did you jus’ come ta enjoy de view?” he said, his voice not holding the humour it normally would. He flipped the Ace of Spades between each of his fingers, his questioning gaze never leaving Larza’s face.

Is dis “Pity de Cajun” day or somet’in’? Is it too much ta ask ta be alone?

[roguejedi]

"You don't *look* fine." she said flatly.

She offered Chris a faint smile as the girl headed out, then turned back to her teammate.

"There's an attack coming, Gambit. You should be ready, not sitting in here wasting what precious time we have *left* to prepare!" she said, frowning.

"And no one blames you. It wasn't like *you* *purposely* did anything to harm Logan." sha added, her eyes hard.

'Why am I doing this again? Ohh yeah, common courtesy.' she thought wryly. 'Note to self, don't ever interact with anyone ever again; you stink at it.'

She crossed her arms, giving him an even look. "And I haven't heard anyone say they blamed you." she added, quietly.

[Gambit]

“Guess you weren’t dere when I tol’ Stormy, or Taela fo’ dat matter,” Gambit shot back, his eyes narrowed. “Jus’ cause dey don’ say it, don’ mean dey don’ feel it.”<br>
Might as well add your name ta dat list you got goin’, homme…

“An’ what’s all dis ‘bout preparin’? What we spose ta do? If dey send enough o’ dem after us, no amount o’ preparin’ is gonna do any good! You weren’t dere! You got no idea what we be up against.”<br>
Gambit left the last sentence hang in the air, almost as thick as the smoke that clung to the ceiling. He didn’t move from his reclined position on his bed, and never once did the constant flipping of the card cease.

[roguejedi]

"I may as well have been! I felt it, Gambit! I *felt* evereyone's grief, guilt, *everything*!" she said her voice rising.

She calmed herself, closing her eyes for a moment as she repaired the tiny cracks appearing in her mental shield. She re-opened them, and continued speaking.

"It *wasn't* your fault. So many things were to blame! Not a large enough team, not enough information..." she trailed off, shaking her head. "According to the mansion's rumor, he died saving Guido. That implies it was *Logan's* choice, and *his* fault."

She knew she may be pushing it, knowing how well loved Logan had been, but she didn't regret speaking.

"It won't do anyone any kind of good if you stay locked up in here. Train, help fortify, at the very *least* help comfort them! I'm trying my best to help, but I don't have much in the way of people skills. I know *you* do." she added, re-ajusting her gloves, but keeping an even gaze on him.

[Gambit]

“Yeah, I’m sure de X Men wan’ us Acolytes offerin’ comfort,” he retorted sarcastically. “Sure, we may be livin’ here, helpin’ fight, but when it comes down ta it, we still be de enemy. Dey don’ trust us, an’ dey never will.”<br>
Roguey may trust you now, but she ain’t gonna once she finds out what happened.

“As fo’ feelin’ everyone’s pain, you better learn ta control dat real quick, or it’ll eat you alive. Believe me, I know.”<br>
True, Gambit’s empathy wasn’t as strong as Larza’s, but he had learned to control it long ago. He had impeccable mental shields, which usually made his mind impossible to read. Usually being the key word there…<br>

[roguejedi]

She nodded. "I know they don't trust us, but that's *their* probblem. I'm still going to try, and you should too!" she said, pushing her bangs out of her face.

When he spoke about her empathy, she sighed.

"I don't even know *how* to control this. It works on it's own, like it's got a mind of it's own. I don't try to sense things...it just *happens*." she said, shaking her head. "I can block it for a short time, but the shield keep breaking down..."

"But it may have been a good thing. Otherwise, I'd never have come in here to tell you to quit mopeing around!" she added, smiling faintly.

[Gambit]

“An’ dat be a good t’ing… because?” he replied, before letting out a deep sigh. Sitting up, he bent his knees, and rested his forearms on them.

“Look, it’s not like I don’ appreciate de concern, but sometimes it be better ta jus’ be alone,” he tried, but could see that this approach wouldn’t work either.

Talk ta her… lie if you have ta. Dat be de only way ta get rid o’ her.

“If you ain’t plannin’ on leavin’, you might as well have a seat. I don’ bite,” Remy said, a hint of a smile on his face. “An’ dis empathy t’ing ain’t really ‘bout learnin’ how ta use it, but how not ta use it at first.”<br>

[roguejedi]

Larza smiled, taking a seat. "Thanks."

"So how do you not use it?" she asked, smiling.

She thought for a moment, before speaking again.

"Gambit, even if they don't trust us, we *can* help." she said, "If for nothing else, to protect *ourselves*. As it is right now, you look like you've been in here for a month! When the attack comes, you'll be in no condition to even help get people to safety, let alone fight, if you keep this up."

She sighed, closing her eyes. "I still have to find Pyro and give him this same lecture yet, and maybe Guido." she said, re-opening them. "But people here seem to look up to you, even if you're not on the X-Men. You could really be a help."

[Gambit]

“Dey look up ta me? Who?” Gambit scoffed, rolling his red on black eyes. “A Cajun t’ief dat works fo’ Magneto. Real role model potential dere!”<br>
Sighing, he ran a hand through his shaggy hair, as he caught the look Larza was giving him.

“Look, I still be here. Ain’t dat enough? As many times as I t’ought ‘bout it, I didn’t run off. If dis be where de action is goin’ down, den I’ll be here.”<br>

[roguejedi]

She sighed. "Look, I'm an *assassin*- or at least I was -and as soon as people find that out, they start looking at me funny, like they're expecting a blade in their skull any second! I know the feeling." she said with a wry smile. "But it's not stopping me. I'm not letting it slow me down."

"I think Chris seems so look up to you, and if not that, at least thinks of you as a *friend*. I'm not sure why you seem to take that lightly." she said, shaking her head and frowning.

[Gambit]

Gambit lowered his head, his hair falling in his eyes as he looked at his teammate.

“You’re right. I don’ know what she sees in me, besides de good looks an’ de charmin’ personality,” he replied, a faint smirk on his face. “But she’s never treated me as de enemy.”<br>
Huh. Looks like you ain’t as despised aroun’ here as you’d like ta t’ink…

“So, uh, you wan’ help wit’ de empathy t’ing?” he asked, clearing his throat. “I don’ know how much help I be ta you. I never really had dat much fo’ problems wit’ it. But I t’ink de first step is ta focus on your own feelin’s, an’ learn ta separate dem from everyone else’s. I ain’t no expert, t’ough, so don’ quote me on dat.”<br>