Logan knew he didn’t have a lot. In all the years he could remember he had nothing to call his own, no home, no family, not even the camper had been his. It had been the only thing he could get with the amount he had, from a man who didn’t care that he had no I.D what so ever.

He didn’t even have a last name and knew that Logan wasn’t even his real name.

So the kid - Marie - became a little his. Just a little.

And because he wanted something that was just a little his, he put up with her lovesick gazes, the way her breath hitched if he hugged her and the way she would flush red if he ruffled her hair or chucked her under the chin.

But he forgot that she was sassy, forgot the way she had retorted back with what kind of name is Wolverine? So first she began to drop hints, shy little hints that she would mumble out while looking at the floor intensely. Just a few invites to go get pizza, maybe a movie. Comedy maybe, or action.

Which he was always too busy to attend.

Then she decided to just ask him outright.

I like you … a lot. And you like - do you -

He had cut her off at that and tried to laugh it off. She had nodded in resignation and seemed to have given up.

Which was good.

Real good.

Except it wasn’t.

See the thing was she wasn’t just a little bit his anymore, sure they were still friends, pretty much the same except without all the breath hitching and pizza proposals, which was what he wanted. But now she was more then just a little bit someone else’s and that chunk included his bit too.

And he wanted it back.

At first, after the Incident, he thought she was just acting. Trying to act all normal with him just to show that she can and then finding herself another bloke to make him jealous or something.

Which he wasn’t.

All he wanted was that bit that was his back. That’s all.

X

“Why did you hit him this time?” She didn’t even look angry anymore, just frustrated.

“Because -” he had to stop to think, “he-”

She stopped him, “because you’re jealous.”

“What?”

“Don’t go acting deaf now, Logan.”

“I’m not … what exactly am I jealous of?”

Marie paused to look condescending before she continued. “Of him.”

A part of him wanted to laugh but he still remembered how he got here so he settled for looking condescending back. “Oh really … and why am I jealous of him?” He had to hear this.

“Because he gets me.” Well … maybe there was a little truth in that. “And you’ve only just realised that you want me.”

No! “No!”

“Oh really …” she imitated.

“Yes really!” Logan snarled back. “For god’s sake you’re just a kid!” she just crossed her arms and continued to stare at him. “What kind of man do you think I am?” He gave her a pause to answer that but then ploughed on worriedly when she didn’t. “And - and I like Jean, you know that.”

Then, worrying him further, she smiled. It looked like that creepy cat in that movie with the shrinking girl and white rabbit.

“Strange how you don’t seem to be bothering to pick a fight with Mr Summers every few hours.”

“That’s because your boyfriend is a dick!”

She nodded. “Right, of course.” It came out sounding sarcastic, then she sighed and looked defeated. “I hope you … just - I don’t know …” she looked up at him, eyes trying to tell him something. Something profound. “I won’t be around forever Logan. Not like you. Figure it out soon will you, I want to spend as much of ‘happily ever after’ with you as possible.”

Then she left. Her head bowed.

Guess it was a little profound.

X

“How do you know?”

She smiled softly, “because I know you.” And she did know him, better than anyone.

Looked like he was a little bit hers too.

“But I don’t know.” And he didn’t.

She didn’t look surprised, not even upset, just nodded, “I know that too.” Then she was back to being the Marie he knew rather then this strange confident creature who could look up at him and make him blink first. “Kiss me,” she mumbled, her cheeks reddening immediately.

It didn’t matter though, he still blinked first. “What?”

She huffed at the ground in determination, straightened her shoulders and leapt for him. The kiss lasted for all of two seconds and landed mostly on his nose, thank god he was a mutant otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to stifle the pained yelp that came from having his nose thumped.

“I’m sorry!” she spluttered. “I - I am -” Then she squealed in surprise.

This time it was Logan who leapt for her. More like tackled, but thankfully there was a bed right behind them to give them a soft landing. His kiss was spot on and soon they were a sweaty tangle half on, half off the bed.

X

“Will I ever know?” They were lying on the bed, clothes rumpled but still on, though some, namely hers, had come unbuttoned in very strategic places.

She turned on her side towards him, “yep.”

She was right, no ‘probably’ about it. After all she did know him best.