*****
It had been something like the meeting from hell. Logan had a larger chip on his shoulder than usual, Remy for whatever unknown suicidal reason was teasing the Wolverine and making him even more snappish, and Rogue seemed too preoccupied with thoughts of her own to notice that her best friend and boyfriend were apparently on the verge of calling each other out. To make matters worse, even Storm the eternal peacemaker was in a less than temperate mood.
Jean let most of the X-Men leave without comment when the discussion — such as it was — finally, thankfully, ended, but she collared Remy and asked for a private word with him in her office afterwards. Gambit, being the eternal flirt that he was, agreed happily.
"Remy, just what do you think you're doing with Logan?"
"What?" He actually looked slightly alarmed at the question. Evidently not a topic he had been expecting.
"He's got the worst temper of any of us, he's even more unpredictable than *Rogue*, and he's been noted in the past for killing large numbers of people who irritated him for various reasons. If you're deliberately trying to start a fight with him to see which of you could take the other, I would advise you to stop it right now. He is *not* a man to play games with."
Remy looked unaccountably amused. "I'm not playin' any games with him." A reflective pause, and a murmured, "At least, none that he ain't playin' back."
"Remy, Logan doesn't *play* games with people. Not that kind of games, anyway. And I really don't think he *likes* you."
If anything, Gambit's little smirk widened. "I used to think that, too."
Jean gave him an exasperated look. "What made you think otherwise?"
Remy gave her a naughty look. "I don' know if I should say..." At her firm unwavering stare, he coyly added, "Might get me in trouble with Roguey..."
"*Remy*...," she warned. "This is serious."
"Promise you won't tell?"
"Won't tell *who*?"
"Anybody."
"That depends on what it is."
"All right, then don't tell Rogue or anybody who might tell her."
"I... *might* be able to do that." He crossed his arms and set his jaw obstinately. "All *right*, I won't tell Rogue or anybody who might tell her. Now what *is* it?"
Remy relaxed and the smirk reappeared. "I know what Wolvie-boy's *real* problem is." A significant pause that she refused to interrupt with a demand for further information. "His whole problem is that he can't handle that he's swingin' from the other side of the fence, so he's gotta do this whole macho thing to keep anyone from guessin'."
Jean blinked. He couldn't *possibly* be saying what it sounded like he was saying... "Guessing?"
Remy chuckled wickedly. "Logan's gay."
"No he isn't!" The protest boiled up from a sense of outraged pride. After the continual passes he had made at her — which admittedly had dried up of late...
"Oh yes he is! Believe me, I *know*! And he likes me, all right — he *likes* me, and that's what's really buggin' him."
"And how would you ‘know'?" she demanded, crossing her arms defensively. He *couldn't* be right — it had to be a symptom of Remy's own out-of-control ego. Maybe *he* was gay, or rather bi, and letting his own fantasies run away with him...
Remy coughed into one fist, playfully reticent. "I'd rather not say — but believe me, I *know*! First hand..."
Jean let him leave and watched the tall Cajun saunter out, shaking her head slightly. She *couldn't* believe his claims — but there was someone else to ask. And right now she was annoyed enough to go straight to the source — and let Remy take the resulting fallout if — *when* — he was proven to be mistaken, or worse yet lying...
*****