Uh oh Here we go

Pyro sits on Gambit’s bed as Gambit gets all his stuff that he will need for a long road trip. They weren’t able to have a flying vehicle for this mission and Gambit pretends that this doesn’t get away with him. Being stuck in a car with two ferals is not something that he is thrilled by.

“Do you have to?”

Pyro whines, leaning forward and scrunching his nose.

“You just don’t want to be without my cookin’.”

Gambit says with a snort as he pulls out another hidden cache of cards and money and tucks it into a hidden compartment on his person.

“Yeah… But… don’t die. Cause no one else will make me gumbo!”

Pyro states, flaring up at the end and crossing his arms. Pretending like he doesn’t care. Gambit doesn’t buy that for a second. Gambit snorts, ruffles, Pyro’s hair, and then drops an envelope in his lap.

“That has a list of local restaurants to call for good food. And some money to pay for it. Don’t burn through it all in the first week. I’ll have someone drop some stuff off at a checkpoint for you later, alright?”

Gambit won’t lie to himself, he is a little worried about the other two teens starving while he is out.

“Alright alright.”

“And there’s food in the fridge and cabinets but you’ll need to make a grocery run Sunday. I was gonna, mais…a mission’s a mission.”

“Okay, mum! I get it! I won’t starve ’cause you left.”

Gambit swats the other teen’s head with a tisk.

“And don’t make the place a wreck or I will yank your arm off and beat you ‘bout the head with the bloody stump.”

He threatens and Pryo huffs but agrees, trailing him out of the room like a puppy. Colossus is in the living room, hands folded in on each other. Gambit passes over another envelope with much the same instruction. He did not trust Magneto to care for the food aspect of the base. Gambit had found the position of providing provisions very empty when he had arrived and worries over his absence. But he trusts Colossus a little more than he trusts Pyro.

“Stay safe.”

Colossus says, voice firm. Gambit grins and flicks out a card.

“A good thief don’t get caught. I’ll be just dandy. Keep an eye on each other.”

He then leaves ready to go to the pre-decided meeting point. No motorcycles. They would all be stuck in a van. A terribly enclosed van. Gambit touches the cassette tapes tucked in his bag and hopes that it’s not a newer vehicle that only plays CDs. That would be… disheartening.

He arrived at the meeting point. First. Well. He never relied on Sabretooth to be on time unless it was mealtime. And he is early besides. He settles with a deck of cards in his hands. He hears the rumble of a set of engines and tenses up. He shifts to hide in the dappled shadows. He scrunches his nose as a van and a car roll up. He clicks his tongue and sticks to the shadows with a small frown.

Annnnd now he is outnumbered. Fantastic.

Cyclops hops out of the van and Wolverine follows soon after from the other side. The car holds a few of the other teens. Rogue and Nightcrawler. So not all the X-Men but a few. Wolverine turns and stares at where Gambit is and Gambit figures he might as well speak to them.

“Bonjour.”

He states with a lazy and confident salute.

“Where’s your buddies Gambit?”

Cyclops states, sounding firmly done with him. Which isn’t fair. Gambit has not had the chance to be annoying yet. And Gambit is the sacrificial lamb here. Stuck going on mission with two ferals!!

“Not sure. Monsieur Chat makes his own schedule.”

He hikes his lone bag a little higher with a shrug. He can feel the stares of the other teens.

Ah.

They had never seen him out of his armor. Well. this mission required a lot of public interaction between heists. His armor is safely packed away with his small assortment of clothes in his bag. For now, his jeans, boots, and three layers of jackets to fight the cold would need to be enough.

Let them stare all they like. They’d not get another chance for a while.

“Just like Creed to be late.”

Wolverine snarls angrily while rechecking over the van, presumably out of habit. Gambit glances as the man does so. Ah. there is food supplies tucked in there along with a cooler, hopefully with some water. He will check through it later at his own leisure, and resupply as called for. The calculations already whirl in his head.

“With such pleasant company, it really is a wonder.”

Gambit mutters to himself flicking out a deck to shuffle, nerves getting the best of him. He hears a growl from behind and Wolverine spins.

“Sabretooth.”

The man growls showing some teeth. Sabretooth steps forward with a toothy grin. Gambit bites down a groan. This is going to be just lovely. Maybe Magneto is secretly trying to kill him off with stress. So sneaky.

He flicks a card at Sabretooth and clicks his tongue.

“Uh-uh, we ain’t startin’ that now. We haven’t even started drivin’ chat!”

Sabretooth growls at him instead but it’s not as mean-sounding.

“Great you’re all here. The Prof marked the locations on the map and wrote down their addresses.”

Cyclops says and Gambit grabs it, scanning the info and memorizing it as quick as he can. In the Thieves Guild, they often had to destroy documents like this.

“Merci.”

He states while his eyes flick over the lines and he ignores the two ornery cats growling at each other in the background.

“… What?”

Cyclops states nose scrunching. Right. Not a French speaker.

“Thanks. We’ll handle it. And I got the number for updatin’ y’all.”

He pockets the map.

“I’m driving.”

Wolverine growls out.

“No. Imma drive. You gonna drive like a grandma.”

Sabretooth snaps out and the two start growling even louder at each other like overgrown cats. Gambit huffs, snatches up the keys from Cyclops, and heads towards the van.

“I’m driving. Neither of you are trustworthy. Prolly drive like you fight; like you ain’t able to die. Well, I am.” He then points aggressively at Sabretooth. “And don’t you start on the radio. I won’t share none of my spiced alligator jerky if you start whinin’ so shut your trap and get in the van ‘fore I eat it all myself.”

He gets into the drivers seat and is relieved to find a tape deck. Perfect. Sabretooth silently gets in the back and then stares at him through the mirror. Gambit holds up a finger and digs through his bag before lobbing some of the jerky back to him. Sabretooth digs into the bag and purrs deeply while chewing. Wolverine then gets into the passenger seat and Gambit fixes his stare at him.

“You help me navigate and don’t whine about my music, I’ll give you some jerky too. Comprendre? Oui?”

Wolverine looks at him, sniffs, and nods.

“Fine, kid. Fine. Give me the map.”

“Good. Here.”

He hands over the map, the jerky, and then revs the engine.

The faster they get going, the faster he can get out of this ticking time bomb.