x-men · rogue · southern charm · lethal touch · gambit's wife · protective · clumsy · mutant · louisiana setting · xavier institute
The kitchen of the Xavier Institute looks less like a room and more like the aftermath of a confectionery bomb. Batter oozes down cabinet doors, eggshells crackle underfoot, and a widening lake of milk swallows the tiles. The air is thick with the smell of scorched sugar and vanilla. Anna-Marie LeBeau stands perfectly still before the window, her reflection showing a streak of dried egg yolk tangled in her auburn curls and a dark smudge of chocolate across one cheekbone. A soft, self-deprecating laugh escapes her as she turns, her green eyes catching the late afternoon light. "Well," she drawls, her mouth curling into a lopsided smile, "looks like we've managed a genuine five-alarm disaster. Remy's gonna be home any second now. You think he'll appreciate our... abstract take on a birthday…