Feeling tired and worn from doing the first week of hard work he’d done in months, stretching in the cool he could feel the gaze on him as he moved pulling the kinks out of his sore muscles. He caught the scent of roses and his head snapped round, the shadow was still there a thin subtle shape. A familiar scent was mixed in with it, the scent of Damask. What was she doing out here? The night was cold and she should be inside, deciding to find out for himself he walked over quietly to where she was. “Damask is that you?”
The shape moved away, slipping into the evergreens that ran around the grounds. Something was wrong, senses kicking in, hearing at least four people moving around in the darkening gloom. Scenting the air he could distinguish Bobby’s Damask’s Jubilee’s and Colossus, they were agitated, upset. Coming around the corner of evergreens, he confronted the foursome trying to sneak out of the garage with a car.
They were too busy trying to designate the driver to notice him come and sit on the bonnet of the car. Slowly pulling out a half-finished cigar he lit it and blew the cloud of smoke in the middle of them, Colossus froze, his voice stilled as his nose picked up the cigar. His eyes must have widened because Bobby just flicked his eyes sideways and saw him sat there. He paled at the sight of him and began to speak. “It’s nothing really to worry about Logan, we just wanted to go into town for a while that’s all. We all have presents to buy and we thought we’d get a head start on things. Ororo already knows about it.”
Damask and Jubilee looked at Logan and they both blushed. Damask was well wrapped up for the weather and Jubilee was wearing her usual yellow outfit, he often wondered how many outfits she actually had of that colour, it was all she ever seemed to wear. He didn’t speak, he just put his hand out for the keys and Bobby handed them back over. Sighing to himself he realised they’d never get far in that heap, especially if it snowed later and Damask wasn’t to be put in any sort of risk with the cold. He returned the keys to the board on the wall, picking up the large suv’s set and threw them over to Colossus, who caught them quickly. “I want you back by ten at the latest and *I* will come and find you if I need to.” His eyes bored into the young men in front of him. “And if I even catch a whiff of beer on anyone in the car when you get back I’ll bounce you to Cyc myself.”
The rules had been laid, they knew the consequences if they stepped out of line. Adding the threat of Cyclops was a bonus, no-one wanted the extra winter chores that he could pile on a breaker of 'The Rules'. Shovelling snow was no easy task here, especially as all the paths needed to kept clear and they ran across the whole grounds. He watched as Colossus pulled out of the garage and headed off toward the town and the mall. Damask waved her goodbye as she was whisked away to some new kind of heaven that had upto now only happened to other people. It never ceased to amaze him how much she had lost and how much these small things meant to her but he’d check with Ororo if the trip had been passed by her first.
*******************************************************
Walking back to the kitchen the familiar scent of Ororo drifted out to him, she was sat at the kitchen table talking to Marie. Watching the smiles that covered their faces as they went through the large list they held in front of them. Deciding to listen into their conversation for a while, to be a spectator in the lives of the schools most beautiful women. “We’ll have to get more everyday supplies in now that Hank has hired us a workforce. That’ll mean the market trips are going to be every two days and in the short term that’s okay but we’ll have to do the present shopping either before we go there or afterward.” He watched as Marie’s nose as it crinkled up at the prospect of doing Christmas shopping after a huge trawl round the market.
Ororo noticed and smiled at her expression, “So that’s a before then?” Laughing with Marie as they looked through the large list of groceries, he was about to walk in and join them when he heard Ororo say something that stopped him dead. “Have you told him yet?” Catching the change of scent in the kitchen, he pulled further away from their view, hiding in the doorway.
“No I haven’t told him yet. I just wanted us to have some time together first but with all the construction going on, I don’t know when I’m going to have time. We don’t tend to talk much when were together.” Ororo smiled as Marie blushed. “We leave tomorrow and Kitty’s parents didn’t have to invite me but it’s my chance at a family Christmas. Not that I don’t think that you all here are my family it’s just that, oh I don’t know. I don’t know how to explain it, just that I need to do all the dumb stuff you do at Christmas and I don’t think Logan is the type that enjoys Christmas.”
“Have you asked him?”
The silence was almost unbearable, inside he wanted to bolt out into the dark, into the cold. Anything to numb the pain that was slicing him in two, she didn’t want to be here with him, she wanted to be with a 'family'. The animal howled and raged, how dare she do this, didn’t she understand? Didn’t she know how much he needed her, especially now?
But he also understood her need to do all the things that she wanted to, to play games with snow, to dress a tree with all the stupid glitter and lights that he hated so much. She needed warmth that he couldn’t give her but it would have been nice to have been asked about it. Slamming his fist into the doorframe he caught a view of her pale face as she saw him walk away, back out into the cold. Hearing her swear as she felt him leave, she’d hurt him and she knew it was her fault by not being honest. The only thing he’d asked her to be.
********************************************************
The stars were out when he’d finally stopped walking, the anger was still raging in his blood, she’d made plans without him, she wasn’t going to be here over the winter. Finding himself at the work site his claws slid out, he had to do something with this anger, so he did what he did best, destroyed.
He knew they would hear him the cold crisp air carried all sound of his rampage through the woods. The breaking timbers and the rush of the snow would carry for miles. He could feel her inside his head, trying to talk to him but the animal was in control and it drowned her out. Smashing through branches, tearing at bark, matching each attempt at contact, silencing it, until he felt her give up.
Ororo was waiting for him when he walked into the kitchen, her face was calm serene almost. His eyes burned into hers and he saw her shift a little from his gaze. He sensed her slight flush of fear and he looked away, searching for a beer. “There in the bottom of the fridge, we moved them out of the boys reach. They’d got wise to the last hiding place. At least this way you can keep an eye on them.” He shot a withering stare and the smile faded from her face, “She loves you, you know.”
Opening the beer he drank the whole bottle quickly and reached for a second, holding the door open as he popped the top on the second. “She needs you but she needs to feel part of something too. It’s only for a couple of days and the plans were made in summer Logan, when you weren’t here.” The knife twisted and she caught the movement, watched him tense up and fling the empty bottle into the sink, grimacing as it smashed.
“You want to put something back together? Try that.” Snarling each word he left for his room, he was going to have a few words with a friend of his, a twenty-year old friend who’d never let him down, yet.
********************************************************
He could smell her, all up and down the corridor he could smell her. She’d been crying, upset and angry, a tinge of sadness too a hint of desperation mixed in with it as he neared his door. Fear replaced the anger he’d felt earlier, he’d smelled this once before, Liberty Island. When she’d given up, accepted her fate and had been as close to death as she’d ever been. Throwing open the door he expected to see her in his bed, tired and curled up but it was empty, neat, freshly made. The room even smelled different, she’d sprayed something meant to smell like flowers in here. Checking the bathroom he found it neat and tidy, no sign of her in there, not even a towel, all the things she’d moved in had gone.
A hollow appeared in his stomach, she’d gone, she’d run again, but it was his fault this time. Flying out of his room he ran to the room down the hallway and flung her door open. It was empty, she wasn’t here, her scent had been removed from the room by Damask and Peiter. It was obvious she wasn’t there and hadn’t been for a while. There was only one other place she would be, Kitty’s room in the dorm.
Jogging down to there he passed a few students who were decorating the hallways, making it feel a little more like home. He could see the door, half open and a loud stereo playing inside. Flinging the door open he scanned the room, Kitty stood there half-naked brushing her hair. Her things were laid on an empty bed, all piled up. Everything she’d moved into his room piled higgledy- piggledy, her clothes, brushes, scarves, everything. His eyes must have said things for him because Kitty just pointed to the bathroom picked up her robe and left. He locked the door behind her and went into the bathroom.
She was sat in the bottom of the shower crying, her back turned to the door and her skin red with the heat of the water. He could feel her, defeated, hurt, feeling as if she’d betrayed the one good thing she’d ever had, how could she have done it? He knew it just hadn’t occurred to her to ask him until Kitty had reminded her of the plans she’d made with her earlier in the year. The place at the family cabin, the flight already booked in her name, the presents bought, the food already stacked in the cupboards. How could she tell him she *had* to go? How could she explain it was something she’d needed for so long, to be part of a family Christmas, to be accepted just as she was by a family that understood her gift?
But she was betraying him, he needed her too, they had talked about the new cabin, about being in it by new year. Waking up there together on the first day of the new year, making their new start together facing a new life, how could she when she was supposed to be in Montana? Having fun with a family she’d only ever seen in pictures?
He reached for her through the scalding water, his arms feeling the heat and reddening quickly. She didn’t resist his towelled hands as he moved her up and out of the shower, picking her up gently in a towel carrying her to an empty bed and putting her down gently. “Why?” As he dried her skin with a different towel.
“You hate me don’t you? Because I’m leaving with Kitty. You think I’m deserting you don’t you? I know that’s what you think because you're still in here you know.” Her eyes were downcast as she spoke her voice thick. “You hate me don’t you?” Flicking her gaze upward for a second to gauge his mood.
“I don’t hate you. Why didn’t you say something till now?” Her wet head lifted up and he felt his heart lurch with the pain he found in her gaze.
“I’d forgotten till today when Kitty stopped me in the dining hall. She wanted to know if I wanted to go on the ski-trip or not. She had to remind me about everything, about the plans I’d made with her, all the things that had been organised just for *me*. How could I tell you? I didn’t know how.”
He pulled her damp body close to him, her scent blooming under his nose settling his nerves about her. She snuggled into his arms, hugging him close to her burying herself into his shirt, picking off the pieces of bark that had stuck to him. “So, how much wood did you kill?” He could feel her smile, it radiated through her and he just purred as she moved her hands over his shirt. “I think I’ll stay here tonight, that is if you don’t mind?” Her hands had stopped moving and she was tensed awaiting his answer, her scent had a sour note to it, she was worried.
“Why?” She caught his undertone.
“Well we never 'talk' when we’re together,” he could feel the heat radiate from her skin as she spoke drying her further.
“You haven’t complained so far.” Catching himself as he began to growl as he breathed her in, his hands stroking her over the towel, feeling her shift into the feelings his hands were creating. Listening to her heartbeat speed up as he stroked her hair, catching her eyes with his. Moving closer to her lips, tasting each breath as it left her. Watching her pupils open wide as held her making him hard instantly, feeling her heat rise and her scent deepen. Dipping his head to meet hers, she moved ever so slightly away from him making him freeze short of her lips.
He scanned her eyes and saw the excitement he usually saw there but it was marred by something else, pulling away he felt her relax in his arms. She gripped his arm through the towel, her eyes searching through his, seeing the confusion and anger just under the surface. “I love you Logan.” He knew there was bad news coming. Any second there’s going to be a ‘but’, “But I need this time away, I need to have this little piece of normalcy. I mean if you came with me could you cope with the whole family, kids running round, carol singers, parties of tipsy people running round doing stupid things. Shopping in the streets full of families and entertainers?”
They both knew he couldn’t, he could just see the headline of the local paper ‘Lunatic Mutant Goes On Yuletide Rampage in Local Mall’. He knew he couldn’t go he’d hate every minute of it but he’d make it a misery for her too.
“You know I’d hate it but,” the pain of the words bit into him, tearing him open even deeper than Stryker’s needles had. “I need you,” the words slid out almost apologetically as if he hadn’t really said them. Marie hugged him, almost crushing herself under his skin, her weight pressing against him raising the animal inside. “Oh god Marie I need you,” the words leaving as a growl pulling her over onto his erection letting her feel her effect on him.
Seeing the need reflected in her as she let the towel slip away. Quickly picking a scarf up he rested it against her skin and kissed her through the fine material, listening to her gasp at each touch of his mouth. Pushing him back a little she closed her eyes, he knew she was concentrating, moving her power away, locking the switch closed so he could touch her. Touch and taste as he needed to do, to imprint her on him and him in her. She was leaving him for a while the animal needed to know she’d return, she’d come back to him and this was it’s way of owning her.
Watching as Marie moved the scarf away meeting his eyes, nodding ever so slightly as he moved to taste her skin. Feeling the softness under his teeth as he nipped at her flesh, listening to her breath as it flowed out of her over his head as he moved down her body.
Pulling her down roughly on him, his mouth and hands roaming over her sensitive skin, latching onto her hips, moving her legs so she sat across his lap. “Open,” the word barely making sense burying his face in her chest, nipping, biting, licking her skin. Teasing her nipples hard with his tongue, taking each one into his mouth, gently sucking each one as her hands set him free.
Feeling her peel back the denim as far as she could the cool air of the room stiffening him further, lifting his head off her breasts to watch her eyes as he brought her down onto him. Feeling her sex stretch to allow him inside, gripping him tightly as she slid down its length, her fingers digging into his shoulders as he pulled her into him. Hands wrapped around her small shoulders, her legs wrapped around his hips, heels dug into the small of his back. Rocking slowly back and forward on his length, smiling as she listened to the deep rumble that reverberated through them both.
He loved to look at her as they made love, her face came alive with the passion she’d held under for so long, her body moved with the grace of a dancer making his heart ache for more of her. He’d never get enough of her, no matter how long this lasted. If that meant having to put up with her going away for a few day’s he’d do it. She’d put up with him being gone for nearly a year and she still loved him, still needed him.
Her skin began to flush as she neared her climax, he could feel the spasms begin twitching around his shaft, making him harder. Growling he pushed up off the small bed and stood with her, holding her in his arms bearing her weight easily. Letting gravity pull him deeper inside her, feeling her nipples brush against his chest with each movement she made. Her arms draped over his neck, her eyes open and looking into his, he felt her clench on him, felt her gasp and stiffen on him as it took hold, watching each wave rise over her body stilling her movements.
Kissing her hungrily as she came, her legs gripping his hips moaning with the pleasure that was running through her as he brought her down on him again. Sliding inside her now as her body relaxed and tightened around him, their mixed scents imprinting on their minds. Feeling him shift into a better position, holding onto her, one hand under her; one on her shoulder, controlling her movements with his own. Standing still he moved her on him, feeling his own release building he growled with each downward pull, his fingers digging into her skin.
Knowing he was bruising her but he didn’t care, he wanted her marked, others would know what they meant and he wanted them to see. Her head resting on his shoulder, breath still coming in short gasps as he thrust into her. “Look,” the word was growled out at her and her head moved round to look in his eyes, seeing the animal there as she felt him come inside her. Scalding her with the heat of it, bonding them again, tying them in place, using her legs to grip him as he came. Stifling his cry with her mouth on his, tasting him, eating him, claiming him as hers alone. The bond remade, tightened as she clenched herself around him holding him in place.
The knock at the door made them both start, “If you’re done making up now I’d like to go to bed. I’ve got first patrol at six and its gone ten now. Don’t make me walk through the door Rogue, you know how cranky I get when I have to do it this late at night.” Kissing as he moved her off his hips patting her rear as she disappeared into the bathroom again to get dressed. Tucking himself away and buckling his jeans back he opened the door to a very cranky Kitty. She was stood with a mug of chocolate and just looked straight through him.
“She told you then?”
“Yeah she told me, when do you leave?” He saw her visibly relax as she heard Marie singing from the shower. Kitty pushed into her room and sat on her bed, dropping the brush she’d been carrying and putting the chocolate down on her bedside table.
“We leave for my parents cabin tomorrow, we’ll be up there for about a week. We usually do the whole three-week thing but she didn’t want to so I’m stuck here on first patrol.” He watched as Kitty forced the brush through her hair again, seeing her as if for the first time. She was a good friend to Marie, she’d put herself out for her, given her something she’d needed. Even missing her own family gathering to keep her company.
“She’s staying with you tonight Kitty, I’ve got a early morning patrol before work starts on the slopes. So get some sleep and don’t worry about getting up tomorrow.” He’d almost gotten out of the door before what he’d said made sense to her.
“But you’re not on the roster for tomorrow?” The realisation crossed her face just as he shut the door. “Oh, right. Thanks Logan.” She’d made Marie happy so what would another early morning mean to him, nothing much. Checking his watch, it read 10.30pm, time to go find the shopping party.
The Wolverine & Rogue Fanfiction Archive
Barely Legal Since 2000
Author's Chapter Notes:
Logan overhears something that pulls all the joy out of his life, a promise that had been made before he came home returns to raise it's head.