Boredom killed the cat

Catalina, or Cat as she preferred being called, sat curled up in one of the couches in the livingroom area on the third floor. Her black hair fell in waves around her face and over her shoulders. Her yellow-green eyes scanned a computer-magazine depicting some new game. Unfortunately she had been bored for quite some time now and this was the second time she'd picked up the same magazine.
She sighed, put the magazine on a side-table and looked out the window. The moon was out, just a thin sliver in the sky. Sleep eluded her and she resigned herself to a long and boring night.
She got up from the couch and stretched a kink from her back and went over to the kitchen in the adjoining room. After looking through the cupboards in search for anything interesting she settled on a coke from the fridge and shuffled back to the livingroom and draped herself languidly over a armchair, on leg hanging over the armrest. She still wore her tight blue X-men uniform from training a couple hours ago. It had been just basic training for some new students and she hadn't even worked up a sweat. Boredom, she thought, seemed to be the curse of the day.

Gambit wandered aimlessly down the corridors, getting a new sense of the school. Being away for months at the time made it hard to feel at home but the building still felt familiar and held a special place for him. He had been back for roughly a week but had kept to himself, being up mostly at night to minimize the risk of running into students, he wasn't ready yet to mingle with the crowd. He wore a pair of washed out jeans and a plain white t-shirt, not feeling the need to dress in his usual getup. As it was he happened by the living-room and was about to pass the door when a set of long legs catched his eyes. He doubled back and leaned in the door frame, taking in the familiar woman lounging in the armchair. He let out a low whistle.
"Mon cheri, those legs goes on for miles", he said with a seductive voice as a smirk came across his lips.

Cat was staring out the window again when a voice woke her from her reveries. She turned her head and swept her eyes over the man in the doorway and smiled teasingly.
"Remy, darling. How cruel of you to leave a lady yearning so long. Wherever have you been?"
Her voice was soft and husky, her eyes twinkling merrily.
She rearranged herself on the couch, crossing her legs and leaning back.
"Not even a letter. I must say, I'm heartbroken."
She managed to make her voice crack, but she couldn't mask her teasing smile.

Gambit smiled at her teasing retort and slowly walked into the room, taking note of the few changes since last time he had been there. "Out, exploring the world, cheri", he said dramatically while making a wide gesture toward the window. "So much wonder and beauty to behold out there.." He turned to the window looking up at the crescent moon, casting its pale light down on them. "But alas I had to return to the most beautiful thing of all.." he said intensely. "And here you are.." he turned to her with a teasing smile, one eyebrow half cocked. He took a seat on the armrest of one of the couches across from hers.
"Oh, but the long wait only makes you yearn for me more, no?" he smiled charmingly and leaned in closer to her. "Isn't that why you sit here alone at night? Yearning for ol' Gambit?" he teased.

She followed his movement with her eyes, the smile never leaving her lips. At his last comment she threw her head back and laughed.
"You're right on one thing; I'm stunning. But I'm sitting here because there is nothing else to do on this school and I swear, I'm so bored I think my soul is dying a little bit"
Her smile turned crooked and she took a swallow of her coke before propping her chin on her hand and gazed at him.
"I really wish something would happen soon. A lot of us are getting restless. But please, tell me of what you've been doing these past months. Save a poor girls soul."
She said the last line with a dramatic plea in her voice and batted her eyelashes at him.

He leaned back on the armrest and studied her. At her exaggerated pleading he let out a chuckle.
"Nothing that exciting really", he said fleetingly while shrugging. "Just visited some old friends that needed my help. Gambit wouldn't want to burden you with boring details." he smiled.
He ran his hand through his hair, recalling events from the past months. Most of his business over that time had been far from legal and besides; Gambit wasn't really the person that divulged that much information about himself or his whereabouts.
"You tell me nothing interesting at all has happened while I was away?" he asked, trying to steer the conversation in another direction. He had a hard time believing nothing had happened at the school when he was gone. If he recalled correctly students seemed to cause chaos daily and he had heard rumors about the Brotherhood being active in recruiting new mutants.

She rolled her eyes at his evading answer but didn't press.
"Oh, I guess. Lady Mastermind and Sabertooth hit the harbor a couple of weeks ago. A boat was bringin in illegal immigrants and there was rumor of a boy with exceptional powers aboard. They tried to snag him but we've had word. Me, Storm and Wolverine went."
She shuddered at the memory and wrapped her arms around herself.
"Wolverine and Sabertooth went at each other like rabid dogs and we lost sight of them rather quickly. And that blonde bitch. Storm had to pelt her with lightning so I could sneak up on her. I'm lucky enough that her illusions don't work on me when I'm in animal shape. The animal brain just will not see illusions that way."
Cat absent-mindedly swirled the last of her drink around in the glass before downing it and putting the glas down with a slam.
"We got the boy and made it out. The poor thing is still in isolation. He emits some kind of pheromone to make people lethargic and we don't know what else yet. He can't control it so Xavier is with him all the time, trying to teach him control if it's even possible."
She waved her hand dismissively and shrugged.
"But that was three weeks ago. Nothing has happened since and the students have behaved, mostly."

"Those two always go at it", commented Gambit and shook his head, remembering all the other times he and Logan had run into Sabretooth. They both seemed to have some unresolved issues with each-other.
"The professor will surely find a way to help him.." he said, thoughtfully. What would happen if they couldn't help the boy control his powers? Had that ever happened before? If it had, Gambit was sure that it was something they didn't like to talk about at school. Might Xavier even have erased such an occurrence from their minds? If it had happened, what did they do with the uncontrollable students? Now he was getting conspiratory but it couldn't hurt to look into it. After all, he had the skillset to find stuff like that out.
"Sounds to Gambit like the songbird wants to be let out of the cage" he said smirking, with a glint in his eye.

She snorted at his comment.
"No shit. Those two are like an old married couple. That.. you know.. tries to kill each other."
She grinned sheepishly.
"I'm sure Xavier will come up with something. In worst case scenario he will use his mind to block the powers so the kid cant access them. He had to do that with a girl last year, remember? She kept igniting spontaneously. It's not a permanent solution. As the powers grow they can backfire but for some it's the only solution."
She shook her head sadly. She had gone through a similar treatment as young. She hand't been able to control the animal forms she had taken or even been able to control her transformation when startled or scared. She had learned though.
She smiled at him and made a face.
"That's one way to put it. I almost wish I had classes, but I'm off for a week now. The kids will be pursuing other activites for a while."

Gambit furrowed his brow, trying to remember the incident with the girl. He had some weak recollection of someone accidentally setting the living-room on fire. But that could as well have been some other student. They had quite a few fire-starters at the school. Gathering all these young and inexperienced mutants at one place was an accident waiting to happen.
"Hmm.. One might wonder what will happen when Xavier isn't around to block the powers anymore..." he said with a hint of concern in his voice. Gambit knew what it meant to lose control, it had happened to him before. The most recent incident being caused by a anti-mutant drug, that instead of inhibiting the powers had had the totally reversed effect. That wasn't a memory he liked to linger on so he pushed the thought aside. He stood up and walked to the window, looking down on the dark schoolyard below.
"Well then you have some free-time to do something fun, no?" he turned his head to her and smiled.

"We have Jean.. that's something. I prefer not to think about it too much"
She shrugged again, ran her hands through her hair and started twining a lock around a finger.
"Yeah, it has ocurred to me. I can't for the life of me find anyone else willinf to have fun though."
She smiled crookedly and looked sidelong at him.
"You don't happen to have any idead of what to do for fun?"
She smiled mischievously and batted her eyelashes at him again. She had to admit to herself that she had missed him. Fun banter was hard to find in the school. Storm didn't even understand the concept and Logan just glared if one tried.

"Miss Red might have the powers but she is no Charles Xavier" he said factually, trying not to think of might happen if a block ever were to break. He paced the room restlessly but then stopped and looke at her. He smiled as she batted her eyelashes at him and moved closer to her.
"Oh, Gambit know a lot of fun things we may do together, mon ami", he said with a low husky voice while leaning in close to her and brushing a few strands of hair from her face. He looked at her intently but then smirked and straightened up.
"What kind of fun are you looking for, cheri?" he asked and leaned in the window. "You up for dancing? Gambit know of a few clubs downtown." he said thoughtfully. It had been a while now but he imagined the clubs would still be there, if not, new once would surely have taken their places. "Or maybe you're more into some nighttime adventures?" he smiled playfully, cocking one eyebrow and sizing her up and down. Like if he was trying to determine whether she was fit for it or not.

She sat still as he came closer smiled serenely as he touched her face, then smirked as he straightened again.
"Dancing.. doesn't sound too bad. I must admit I'm curious about what you consider nighttime adventures."
She got up from the couch and stretched.
"Whatever we decide, I will have to change clothes. If I go out in this it'll just be trouble."
She gestured at the outfit that hugged her curves and showed off more of her... assets than others. She wore her suit almost all the time. It was the only think that shapeshifted as she did. Normal clothes disappeared or broke and left her stark naked as she turned back. The blue outfit could fit under any of her clothes without beeing too obvious.
"Come along. We'll pick something up in my room. It's on the way out anyway."
She went out in the hallway, not waiting to see if he would follow.

Gambit smiled mysteriously and shrugged. "There's only one way to find out, cheri", he said and winked.
He watched her calmly as she rose from the couch, then he looked down at her body when she gestured at the suit. His eyes lingered just for a moment on her curves before finding her face again. "Trouble? What ever might you mean?" he teased.
"If you want to invite me to your room, cheri. You just need to ask. No reason to come up with excuses." he said, with a confident smirk playing on his lips as she suggested swinging by her room on the way out. He stretched and then followed her out into the hallway before she got too much of a head start.

She snorted at his comment again but didn't answer. She made her way quickly through the corridors and down the stairs to the second floor and the teacher's apartments. She fished up a key from somewhere and opened one of the many doors.
"You know what? Fuck it. It's warm out and I want to dress in something else than jeans and long sleeved shirts."
She turned to him and smiled teasingly.
"Now stand here like a good boy whilst I change. No peeking for you, sir!"
Cat disappeared behind a dress-screen and peeled off the suit. She exchanged it for short jeans shorts and a black top with a low back, black biker gloves and a pair of high heel boots.
"Well then.." she stepped out in front of the screen and looked expectantly at Gambit.
"Lead away, take me somewhere fun." She smiled mischievously as she said it.

Gambit followed her quietly through the long corridors and then stopped when they finally reached the right door. He pondered for a moment where she possible could hide a key as she slipped one out from somewhere. He leaned in the doorway and smirked at her decision to dress lighter.
"But cheri.. Not even a little peek?" he said with played sadness and pouted lip but then smiled as she disappeared behind the screen, he took the opportunity to take in the room more closely. His eyes returned to her as she stepped in front of the screen again. He eyed her up and down, taking his time doing so.
"If you insist, mon ami." he said with a broad smile. "Then I suggest we go look for transportation." he declared and straightened up before leading the way out into the hallway and down the corridor. The garage lay near so it didn't take much time getting there. He went inside and flipped the switch on so that the hall lit up. There was a couple of different types of car to choose from.
"So, cheri.. do you prefer family friendly or something more sporty?" he said smirking and turned to her.

Cat followed him quietly through the corridors and down to the garage.
She gave the different cars a sceptical look and said in a playfully scornful voice;
"You know how I love a good ol' combi car."
She walked past him and picked out a black BMW that was cabbed down. She jumped into the passenger seat and smiled prettily at him.
"Let's go, handsome!" she said as she started braiding her long black hair.
"It's too bad I can't keep my clothes on when I transform. I would fly everywhere. It's a great feeling." She sighed happily at the thought.

"Yeah, they do have the bigger backseats, don't they?" he teased and then watched her as she walked up to the black BMW. He grinned at her choice of car and turned to the little metal box, hanging on the wall beside the door they just came through. He pressed a few buttons on the keypad and the lock clicked. Apparently they hadn't changed the code during the months he was away. He shot a glance at the registration number before locating the keys with the right tag. Remy took out the keys and closed the metal door, which automatically engaged the lock again. He walked up to the car, twirling the key on his finger. With a smooth jump he got into the car.
"Gambit has a hard time believing anyone would object to you running around naked, cheri" he winked at her as he put the car in gear and then slid the key into the ignition, turning the motor on. Not much force was needed on the gas pedal for the car to launch forward. He enjoyed these temperamental cars that only needed the lightest touch to accelerate.
They moved toward the garage door that opened automatically, thanks to sensors, when they got in a certain range of it. Soon they passed through the gates and was driving down the road leading into the city.

She followed him with her eyes and laughed.
"Oh, I could never. You know how shy I am."
She leaned back into the seat and closed her eyes briefly. She felt the wind trying to tug at her braided hair and for a moment it actually felt like flying. She opened her eyes again and looked at the landscape as they sped by.
The moon was high in the sky and she guessed the time at around one-ish. Soon trees grew more scarce and buildings more dense.
"So.. where to?"
She examined his profile from the corner of her eye.

"Shy, right.." he smirked and gave her a look before focusing on the road ahead. The night was very calm and silent, nothing else could be heard except for the humming of the motor and some faint crickets in the distance. Not one other car passed them as they speed along the road going into town. In the speed they were going it didn't take long before the city skyline rose up in front of them, lighting up the otherwise dark sky.
"Gambit hasn't decided yet.. but he has an idea" he answered playfully. He decelerated, not wanting to go too fast in the city in cause they were to run into the police. He took a left at a street-corner, going farther into the city. Despite the late hour, the streets were still packed with people going in and out from different pubs and even restaurants. He scanned the streets-signs, trying to locate where they were and where they were supposed to be going to get to his final destination.
"There is this club downtown.. mutant-friendly. It can get pretty wild" he said smirking and shot her a glance as they stopped at a red light.

She watched the people they were driving past. She was used to seeing the city from a bird's perspective and wasn't quite sure where they were.
Cat turned to Gambit and grinned.
"Sounds like fun. I vote for that"
Now, when they had slowed down, she started unbraiding her hair again. She shook it out and it fell over her shoulders again like black silk. Her yellow-ish eyes scanned the surrounding area, trying to find a place to park. She briefly wondered how they would get home if they both got drunk but quickly dismissed the idea as unimportant.
"I see a spot." She pointed over at a free parking space next to a 7-11.
"You will have to show they way though. I'm kinda lost at the moment."

Gambit turned his gaze to where she was pointing and nodded when he saw the empty parking space. He took a right so the car swerved up to the parking lot and then he parked in the spot Cat had pointed out. Before turning off the motor he pushed a button so that the roof extended and closed up the car. He figured it wasn't such a good idea to leave the cab open in this neighborhood at this time of night. He switched off the motor and pulled out the key from the ignition.
"Let's go then", he said with a grin and got out of the car. When she had gotten out of the car he made sure to lock it and then put the keys in his front pocket. "This way, cheri", he said and lead the way down the street. They weren't that far from the club, maybe a block or two if he remembered correctly. He watched the street-signs and took a road to the left and then right. For a moment he didn't recognize the street but then he saw the familiar sign.
"Ah, there it is", he announced and pointed at the sign; The Pulse.

Cat followed him silently and tried to get her bearings. When she saw the sign she smiled.
"Oh, this place! I know it, actually."
She tugged his arm and smiled wickedly.
"Come on!"
She disappeared through the door, waving at the bouncer as she went. The pub was buzzing but it wasn't uncomfortably crowded. She headed straight for the bar and bought two beers then lithely dodged between people as she made her way back towards Gambit. She winked at him and handed him the beer.
The music was a little loud and she had to lean forward to be sure of being heard.
"So, handsome.. do you come here often?"
She raised her own glass to her lips, her eyes laughing, as she drank.

Gambit followed Cat into the pub and had a look around while she made her way to the bar and then back to him. He took the beer she handed him and smiled.
"Not so much recently, for obvious reasons", he smirked. "But yeah, I've been here.. once or twice before.." in that same moment a woman went past them but halted when she got a look at him.
"Remy? it really is you!" she exclaimed enthusiastically and her smile broadened as she recognized him. "I haven't seen you here in ages. Where have ya been?"
Gambit turned his head to her and searched his memory for a name when he recognized her face. "Ah, Sara", he smiled playfully. "Away on business, cheri." She giggled, obviously a bit inebriated, and put a hand on his arm but seemed to sober up when she noticed Cat.
"Oh, you already have company I see", she said and looked at Cat scrutinizingly. Gambit saw from Sara to Cat and then back again.
"Yes, this is Catalina. " he introduced and then turned back to Cat. "And Cat, this is Sara."

Cat was just about so say something when the other woman called to Gambit. Cat blinked and took a step back to get a better look at the new addition. She quickly took in her over-all look, trying to assess the situation and wondered if this woman also was a mutant.
As Sara's eyes turned to her she smiled serenely and did not return the piercing look. For some reason, she didn't know herself, she switched to her russian accent. She had flawless english since many years, but she was still russian.
"Please, call me Cat. Is very nice to meet you"
She offered her hand expectantly.