Unlovable Xmen

3

Storm watched The Rogue intensely.

One. Two. Pause. One. Two. Pause. One. Two.

A punch a second. And a second intermission. A second is all it takes.

"Rogue. Do you feel strained? You fall back every three seconds." "Ah guess so. My arms feel kinda heavy" "I thought they might. You're pushing back air."

Storm took her arm, guiding it. She pulled her arm forwards, then backwards. "Instead of pulling your arms in, push yourself ouwards." She nudged Annemarie's foot with hers, changing her stance. "Keep your heels up when you're on the offensive." "So turn towards what Ah hit?" "Or sidestep", She confirmed. "Let the wind carry you."

One. Two. Three four. Twist one. two. three. Four. Twist one. Two.

"Very good." "Mah hand feels heavier now." "You're gaining momentum. Now once more."
After a few more rounds, Annemarie hit the punching bag, causing it to fly off the hook. "Hit too hard."
Storm smiled. "That's okay. We'll work on force control too." She looked at her watch. "That seems enough practice for one day, though. Why don't we head to the courtyard for break?"

"I could do better drunk." "Knock it off Logan. Not everybody's good at close range." "Gambit woulda done better wit cards." " 'Cactly it, Cajun. Xavier's got cha so hooked on those sparklers that you and Scotty here don't know how to adapt." "Bettcha won't tell him that" Scott said, earning a laugh from Gambit.

Logan tossed a couple darts at them, barely missing their feet. "Are you insane?" He took a draw from his cigar, and smirked. "Clinical."

After a couple more throws, they wrapped up, and started looking for stray darts. Gambit walked up to Logan expectantly. "What?" "Da cards." "Oh those", he gave Gambit a pat on the back. "Don't have em."

Gambit riffled through his bag. "Where dem cards at?" Scott checked behind the bullseyes. "Not there, man. Logan's probably got em in his back pocket." They headed down the hill, Gambit complaining the whole way. "Them was the good cards. Dhey better turn up, or da wolverine gonna buy him some new ones."

" You're gonna make him buy you more cards?" "Gambit never said Wolverine was gonna know about it." Scott rolled his eyes. "I'll double check with Logan."

Gambit checked his pockets again, before turning his head. His eyes widened when he found them.
A large smile reached across his face, and he strutted over to a stone table.

-
Annemarie was about to place a new card down when she saw someone standing by the table.

"A game of solitaire?" Annemarie smiled, and nodded. "It's supposed to be." He raised his eyebrows, as she went back to her hand. She looked at her cards and didn't have anything.

"Damn."
"nottin good?"
He watched her as she scooped up the cards and failed to bridge them together.
Gambit chuckled.
She looked up sheepishly. "Ah ain't too good at shuffling."

Gambit nodded, and swiped the cards as he sat down infront of her. After a couple shuffles, he looked up at her.

"YKnow, don't think we met befo'. The names Remy, but 'most everybody call me the Gambit." "Ah'm Annemarie." He tossed the cards.

"You the one been stressin the professor out, yeah? The Rogue?" "That's what they been callin me", she said.
Gambit shuffled the cards again, and held em out to her. "Pick a card, Rogue."

She was hesitant at first, but slowly picked one from the middle. Gambit put a hand over his eyes. "No peaking, Gambit promise."
She smiled and looked at the card.
"Know what it is?" Annemarie nodded, and placed it back in the deck.