Chapter 8
“Nothing we use or hear or touch can be expressed in words that equal what is given by the senses.” - Hannah Arendt
“Oh, there you are!” exclaimed Rogue sarcastically as she strode down the corridor. Logan was coming the other way, looking weary and rather miserable. His head lifted hopefully when he heard Rogue, his bloodshot eyes regarding her form gently. With a sigh, he proceeded to walk towards her, despite the murderous glare on her face that was better suited to Wolverine’s berserker state.
He slowly moved closer to her, “Marie..” he began softly, but Rogue cut across him fiercely.
“No, shut up, Logan!” she snapped angrily. “You have no right to talk to me!” When Logan wisely kept quiet, she pursued. “You knew I didn’t want you to use your powers to temporarily heal me. You knew it!”
“I just wanted to – “
“Help me!” she finished for him, “You just wanted to help me, I know. But you’re not, Logan!” She waved a hand angrily as she continued, her vocal volume still high; “You’re making things worse!”
Logan stared down at her, her words really cutting into him this time, harsher than any stab of his claws. “Worse?”
Tears began to sting at Rogue’s eyes, nastily pricking against her lids as they threatened to be released. “Yes, worse,” she confirmed, finally going quiet. “I think you should just stay away from me from now on.” She shook her head slowly as she turned away, quickly wiping a tear from her cheek as she tried to hurry off.
“I can’t do that, Marie,” said Logan as he followed her, a hand making a grab for her forearm. Rogue’s head spun round to glare at him, but the sudden action dizzied her, and with her weakening state, she was quickly dropping from the healthy high of Logan’s powers. Logan saw her sway, and he quickly took hold of her with both his hands, steadying her.
“Let’s go of me, Logan,” said Rogue as she stared up at him.
Sighing, Logan just gently leant her back on the wall of the corridor, his hands releasing her arms but supporting his form with his palms on the wall either side of her head and providing a barrier so she couldn’t slip off. “Don’t do this, kid. Don’t fall out with me. Not now.”
“Well, maybe you should’ve thought about that before you started touchin’ me!” she quickly snapped.
Logan shushed her softly, lifting a hand to absently trail a finger down one of her white streaks. “You know I only want to help you,” he said gently. When Rogue showed signs of interrupting, Logan continued, “No, listen to me, Marie. You know I’d do anything so you weren’t dyin’.”
Rogue’s shoulders slumped as she averted her eyes. “I know..” she sighed softly, beginning to feel ashamed at the way she had lost her temper. Logan sighed softly as his arms slipped about her form, pulling her up against him in a gentle embrace.
“I’m gonna take care of you.”
“I know,” she repeated quietly, closing her eyes as she settles her head against his chest comfortably. Her earlier anger ebbed away as she stood in his protective hold, feeling warm and safe against his body, cocooned in his familiar scent. She felt his hand rest at the back of her head, absently stroking his fingers through her long dark hair. Even the brief touches against her bare nape didn’t summon any lure of her power, which were now so much weaker than before, the touch needed to be unyielding to take effect.
But Rogue still enjoyed the soft brushes of his fingertips against her neck as they continued to stroke down through her hair. It was so small, but to her, every touch was so much more prominent due to the lack of it she had felt over the years. She felt his hand settle to rest against her clothed back, causing Rogue to utter, “Don’t stop.”
Logan slowly looked down at her, meeting her yearning gaze as it locked upon his. “What?” he asked her gruffly, looking a little curious.
“This,” she said softly, her hand taking his and pulling it up to slowly press her cheek against the weathered texture on the back of his hand. She could feel the rough surface press into her cheek, every hair tickling her skin. “There’s no pain,” she whispered quietly, eyes returning up to his.
“They’re going, aren’t they?” Logan asked as he watched her. He carefully pulled his hand from hers, turning it to cup her cheek with his palm. He slowly trailed his thumb over the recent tear trails. “Your powers..”
“Beast said they would.”
Logan nodded his head slowly, recalling her saying this. “I guess that means I won’t be able to heal you anymore even if I wanted to.”
“Yeah,” admitted Rogue softly, looking down at the space in-between them solemnly. “It comes at a price though, y’know?” She sighed quietly as she brought a gloved hand to her forehead, rubbing there lethargically.
“C’mon,” said Logan as he slipped a sturdy arm around her waist. “Let’s get you back into bed..” He led her back along the corridor, holding her carefully to keep her upright should she stumble or fall. Walking slowly through the corridors of the mansion, they reached her bedroom once more, and Logan slowly eased her inside. He shut the door before helping her over to her bed where she sat down with a sigh.
Logan kept his hand at her opposite hip when he sat down besides her, this instantly causing her to lie up against his side. “I’m sorry for havin’ a go at you,” she murmured quietly, eyes closing.
A reassuring squeeze was offered to her waist before he turned his head to rest his chin against the top of her head. “I deserved it.”
“No.. no you didn’t,” Rogue continued, sounding sleepier by the minute. Logan slowly turned to her, carefully moving her down into the bed. He stood upright, coming by her side as he pulled the covers up over her chest. “You’re sleepin’ this time,” Rogue said, her eyes opening and peering up at him.
“Marie..”
But Rogue shook her head, “You don’t have to go. You can sleep in here. I don’t mind..”
Logan watched her gently before he nodded his head, moving round the foot of the double bed before he seated himself on the edge of the bed to remove his boots. Rogue watched him as he did this; an idle smile sprawled across her lips. Soon enough, he eased himself into the bed besides Rogue, settling down under the covers of the bed. He saw Rogue’s smile and raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“Do you spoon?” The stunned look on Logan’s face sent Rogue in a fit of giggles, which instantly caused the man to grin.
“Shut up, you,” he growled playfully, reaching over to tickle at her belly.
She shrieked at this, swatting his hand away, “No! Don’t!” she hiccupped, “Please, don’t,” she said, begging through her laughter.
Logan pulled his hand back with a smirk, settling about getting comfortable on his back. “Go to sleep,” he told her with a faint smirk, settling his hands behind his head. He closed his eyes, exhaling a relaxed sigh as the quietness of the room settled about him. The soft shuffle of the bed covers sounded as Rogue rolled over, but Logan’s eyes flew open when he felt her come up against his side, her head resting on his chest and an arm strewn across his lower stomach comfortably.
He watched her for a moment before he pulled his arms back from behind his head and gently settled them around her shoulders to hold her there in a warm embrace. There was a small smile on his face as his eyes fell closed and he quietly drifted to sleep.
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