[ Devils Eyes ] by Dani

Chapter 6: The Ball and The Thief

They walked inside the foyer of the Hyatt Hotel. It was twice as big as the Ritz and just as stunningly elegant. They presented their invitation and walked into the ballroom.

It was massive. A large crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, illuminating the large crowd of people. Gowns of every shape and size were on people of every shape and size. Several people were waltzing on the floor to medieval style music whilst the rest were either seated at the round tables with candles on them or were standing talking to people at the tables.

It was like they had stepped a little back in time. Everything was stunning, dark rich colours and creamy lighting made for a beautiful combination and looked like one of the balls that Kings and Queens would hold.

They had just found their table and were about to sit down when a pair of slender arms wrapped themselves around Storm’s waist.

“Ah, Chere, why is it dat you ge’ more an’ more stunnin’ ever’ time I see you.” The man, or rather teenage boy, who spoke was tall and lean, dressed in an Armani tuxedo and wearing, for some reason, sunglasses.

“Gambit! Will you never stop being such a shameless flatterer?”

Storm grinned with delight as he took her hand, kissed it, and then pulled her into a hug.

“Stormy, if I did dat den who would dere be to make you blush so prettily?”

He let go and looked over to her team mates. A couple of them did double takes, the rest were just shocked. That was the first time they got a good look at his face. He was, for lack of a better word, beautiful.

High, angular but delicately boned cheek-bones that were very prominent. A finely chiseled nose made it look more like a work of art then a face. The man was really little more than a teenager, though his smile was a little more wary then someone of his age normally would have. The aura he gave off was both charming and dangerous, a gift and a warning. Storm had always been sure that angels would send him straight to hell for envy of his face alone. He had sensual red lips, pale, golden skin and they could have sworn they saw a flash of red from behind the sunglasses.

He wasn’t like Scott, thick and muscular, he was slender with flat, wiry muscles but he looked thin, a little malnourished. He was now leaning against one of the walls, the silver earring in his ear giving him a devil may care look from his stance. He was tall, a little shorter than Scott, about 6ft 2”.

“An’ you are?” 

Xavier answered.

“I am Prof. Xavier. This is Scott Summers,” Scott held out his hand to shake Gambit’s. Gambit grinned and shook it with his own slender one.

“Jean Grey.” Jean blushed as Gambit took her hand and kissed.

“Kitty Pryde.” Gambit did the same to her.

“Lisa Nack.” She pouted as Gambit gave her nothing but a polite nod.

“Kurt Wagner.” Kurt laughed as Gambit did an impersonation of Scott and stuck his hand out stiffly.

“Evans Daniels.” Evan smiled as Gambit and he sook hands, he liked this guy.

“Logan.” Logan shook his hand warily, not sure what to make of this boy who had done and seen so much at only 17.

“And sitting over there is Rogue.” Gambit looked at her. She was watching the dancers waltz across the floor. The girl looked stunning in a dress most girls would never have the guts or figure to wear.

“Ladies, gentlemen.” A short, tubby waiter said politely. “You are the Xavier party no? You can sit out here if you would like but a private dining room was also arranged in your honor. You are welcome to go back and forth.” They thanked him and he walked off.

The dining room was decorated in much the same manner of the ballroom but was smaller and had only one table. There was, however, a small dance floor just left of the table and the music from the other room drifted in nicely. They sat down, though Gambit stayed near the door. He suddenly looked suspicious.

“So you be comin’ ta arrest me den, huh? Surprised ya haven’ done notin’ al’eady.” He was looking even more wary than ever. Xavier shook his head.

“No Gambit. Storm told us you would return the Emerald eventually. We merely wished to talk to you about your mutant powers and maybe tell you a little about our team.” Gambit grinned charmingly at the last statement, though he did not relax his defensive stance, even in the chair.

“So, you all be mutants den? What’re your powers?” They were sitting around the table, Lisa, Kitty, Kurt, Jean, Scott, Xavier, Logan, Storm, Rogue and Gambit at the seat nearest to the door. Kitty spoke first.

“I can phase through things,” she demonstrated, phasing a hand through her glass of water whilst holding it with the other hand.

“I can use my body to throw spikes,” Evan drew one from his finger but put it back after a sharp look from Storm. And so it went around. Everyone said their power and did a quick demonstration. Kurt told his power and then, after a nod from the Prof. turned off his image inducer for a minute or two. Gambit didn’t even blink at the fuzzy blue elf and then the normal teenager as they swapped images.

Lisa wasn’t nearly as developed in her power as Jean or the Prof. mild telekinetic ability was all she possessed. She tried to make Kitty’s glass float but it just wobbled a little. So she just tried to smile seductively at the thief whilst he tried not to gag at her behaviour.

Scott used his beams to make a tiny hole in the floor, Logan showed one claw and the Prof. told them all off for doing it in public. Everyone had spoken except for Jean and Rogue.

Jean thought about what to show him. Then she grinned. She used her mind powers to take off Gambit’s sunglasses. He was shocked, but didn’t open his eyes.

“Gambit, they know you are a mutant,” Storm said in an undertone, “you may show them your eyes.”

He hesitated, the opened them slowly. Jean gasped, and the rest did a double take for the second time that night. His eyes were completely black except the round irises. They were a passionate, fiery red that burned through your mind and soul. The very intensity of the gaze made them both worry and feel drawn to it, like moths to a flame. But they also held a world wary note, as if he didn’t trust anything that breathed and never would.

“Can’ I have my glasses back now?” Jean gave them back and apologized. They understood. Kurt, Evan and Scott especially understood how difficult it was to be labeled as a mutant. Kitty spoke.

“I know this sounds, like, really dumb of me but they, like, aren’t half bad.” Gambit grinned again and thanked her. Lisa spoke.

“Rogue, why don’t you tell Gambit your power.” She was slightly put off at the fact that Gambit was paying more attention to Rogue than her. Gambit appraised the girl. She was medium height, but stocky, unlike the other girls, who had well developed muscles and were either naturally slender or kept in very good shape. He face was marginally pretty, but her make-up made her look like a clown. The thick green eye shadow and pastel pink lipstick were smeared on and did not go even remotely with the dress, which looked like an overstretched trash bag. All in all she looked to him like several women he knew and did not like.

Rogue heard the bitchiness in her voice and smiled sweetly.

“Oh, I have th’ bes’ power of all,” all the team looked shocked, she probably had the worst. “I can absorb people’s mind, thoughts, hopes, dreams and deepest, darkest fears just through skin to skin contact. This of course renders me untouchable, but has its advantages. I know more secrets about the X-men than they know about themselves.”

She smiled again at Lisa, who had grabbed her one Danger Room session and made Rogue absorb a little of her.

“Lisa, for instance, would melt if placed in a fire.” Kitty giggled as Rogue pointed first to her nose, then her lips, then her boobs and then her butt. Xavier was trying not to laugh. The rest of them were roaring with laughter and Lisa was turning bright pink.

“I’m jus’ gonna git the drinks now.” Everyone smiled and told her what they wanted, except Gambit, who grabbed Rogue’s arm briefly whilst he stood up.

“So you can’ touch nobody?” She nodded, a little sadly. He grinned and, to all the team’s amazement, kissed her full on the mouth for a good twenty seconds. He let go and then grinned again, unscathed.

“Mus’ be a real bummer.”  

[ Chapter Five ]