The happy sounds of children at play drifted over the grounds of Xavier's school as the sinking sun cast long shadows on the spacious lawn. Westchester and the surrounding areas had been hit by a series of blizzards over the past several weeks and as a result everything was covered by a heavy blanket of snow; snow that the children, not to mention a few adults, were only too happy to put to use. Currently a handful of students were good-naturedly wrestling on the snow covered ground with Charles and Rogue, both of whom looked like kids themselves as they played with the others.
From his position on the front porch, Logan watched the group through a haze of cigar smoke. Rogue was easy to see as she was wearing a bright blue parka with matching hat and mittens and he couldn't help but smile every time her joyful laugh reached his ears. It had been a long time since he had heard her laugh like that and he was grateful to hear it once again. Turning his eyes away from her form, he focused his stare on Charles, who was now running through the snow banks while a small girl rode piggy-back on his shoulders as she grasped his hair and giggled madly in delight. The man that everyone knew as the Professor now bore no resemblance to his previous physical body. Where once he was bald, blue eyed and paraplegic, he now possessed a full head of sandy brown hair, kind brown eyes and was the picture of perfect health. While Logan knew beyond a doubt that he really was Charles, he still found it vaguely unsettling to look at the man. From a distance a casual observer would see the person who up until a few months ago had been a living vegetable, but to engage him in direct conversation would show a completely different thing; the moment he was focused on completely, perception would change and a person would no longer see with their eyes but with their mind, which would show Charles the way he had been, only now no longer in a chair.
For Logan it was a surreal experience to speak to his old friend and see him in his old body while his nose still bristled at the unfamiliar scent. He appeared to be the only one at the mansion that was having a harder time getting used to it; everyone else was just so happy to have the Professor back that they didn't care what form he took or what his body's scent was for that matter. But then, not everyone had Logan's heightened sense of smell. When the team had first arrived at Muir Island all those weeks ago, Rogue had been the first to recognize him for who he was. She had taken one long look at him sitting by a window before falling to her knees and laying her head on his lap as he stroked her hair. He had asked them all to forgive him for taking so long to contact them; apparently the body that he now inhabited needed to recuperate after being in a vegetative state for over forty years and he had wanted to see them all when he was fully recovered.
Logan was pulled from his reverie when his nostrils were tickled by the scent of hot chocolate. Turning, he Scott coming towards him, one steaming mug clutched in each of his hands.
"Logan," he acknowledged, handing the other man a cup. "Compliments of Miss Pryde. She's been making them for everyone today."
Logan took the proffered mug, raising one eyebrow at the words, 'CAUTION: I GO FROM ZERO TO BITCH IN 3.5 SECONDS' which were stamped all over the pastel pink ceramic. Seeing his comical look of disgust, Scott shrugged smugly as he sipped loudly from his own plain black mug. "These were the only two left in the whole house," he explained regretfully though an amused smile touched his lips. "I just thought that one suited you better."
Growling softly, Logan took a healthy swallow of the scalding drink despite the burning in his throat; he had a secret passion for hot chocolate and was mildly miffed that there no marshmallows in it as well. Rogue always puts marshmallows in mine when she makes it, he thought sullenly before mentally slapping himself as he saw Scott's knowing grin. Turning away from him, he looked back towards the object of his thoughts on the lawn, hoping Scott would leave him to his brooding if he simply ignored him.
"So, Rogue still shutting you down?"
The younger man's voice made Logan jerk his eyes off the woman in question who was currently pelting Charles with snowballs as the children laughed with glee. Shooting Scott what he hoped was his most menacing look, he clutched his ridiculous mug tighter in his hands and debated dumping its contents over the team leaders preppy head, regretting that he had ever confided in him about the situation. Instead he gritted out, "Not that it's any of your business, but yeah. She says she can be my friend but beyond that... she just doesn't believe me when I tell her that... I love her."
"Can you blame her?" Scott asked though there was no malice in his tone. He sipped speculatively on his drink before he spoke again. "Are you sure that she's what you want? I mean, being in a relationship is different from being someone's friend. You learn things about them that you never knew. Do you really know her Logan? Inside out?"
With a loud groan, Logan plopped himself down on the hanging porch swing while its chains squealed in protest under his sudden bulk. Resolutely gnawing on his cigar, he watched Rogue as she made a snow angel with the children, her musical laughter touching his ears and causing his hard expression to soften. "I know her," he stated firmly. "I know she likes any movie made before 1950. She still gets scared by the silent Dracula movies from the '20's." He chuckled fondly while Scott tried not to look too shocked. The idea of Rogue being scared of a silent movie was preposterous. He has seen the woman single-handedly take on men three times her size and never even break a sweat, so this new revelation came as a surprise.
"The first song she ever learned how to play on the guitar was 'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry' by that Hanks Williams guy," Logan went on with a proud look in his eyes. "She taught herself how to play it for her mother's birthday because it was her favourite." He paused to take a deep drag from his cigar while Scott remained silent. It seemed as though Logan had forgotten that he had an audience and he didn't want him to stop talking. Personal knowledge of Rogue was minimal at best and he found himself curious to hear more about his mysterious friend, no matter how trivial the detail. When no one even knew her birthday or real name, anything was interesting.
"Her favourite flower is from a swamp milkweed," Logan continued in a low voice, his gaze never leaving the laughing woman in blue on the lawn. "Because she says it reminds her of home, but she likes orange roses too." A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and he shook his head ruefully. "She actually wants to own a platypus because the duck is her favourite bird and beavers are favourite animals. I thought she was just yanking my chain when she told me that, but she was dead serious; thinks they look so weird they're cute."
Scott laughed, a mental image of Rogue walking around the mansion with a platypus in her arms coming to the forefront of his mind. He had always figured she'd like a tiger or something equally fierce and proud; leave it to her to like the most awkward animal on the planet. "What else?" he demanded eagerly, his hot chocolate long forgotten.
Logan took a moment before he spoke again, apparently too engrossed in watching Rogue trying to catch snowflakes with her tongue to form a reply. At last he asked, "Do you know that map? The one in her room?"
Scott nodded; the huge map of the world in her room was hard too miss, nearly spanning the length of one whole wall. It was covered by small strings of different coloured lights, pictures and various other small items that were tacked to its surface; quite frankly it was so laden with things that the map itself was barely visible. Anxious to hear the story behind it, he impatiently gestured for Logan to continue, who took another pull from his cigar before speaking.
"When she still lived in Mississippi, she had a map of North America in her room, with the route she wanted to take to get to Alaska. The one she has here is almost the same but she said it had to be bigger than her old one. The lights, the strings criss-crossing it, they all have a meaning behind them. The blue lights show places that the people she's absorbed have been; the green is for places that she herself has been to and the orange are the places that she wants to see. The pictures and other stuff stuck on there are just things that shows what she likes about certain parts of the world, or what she wants to learn more about."
"Wow," Scott said simply. He had always assumed the map was just a decorative piece for her wall; he never thought it was a window to Rogue's dreams. Deciding to push his luck, he asked slyly, "So, uh... what's her name?"?
Logan snorted and gave the younger man his best are-you-kidding-me look. "Nice try," he said while Scott shrugged in defeat.
"Sorry," he apologized. "But you can't blame me for giving it a shot. For the record though, you do know what her real name is, right?" Logan said nothing though his secretive grin said enough, making Scott huff in exasperation. "Well, how long have you known it for? When did she tell you?"
Now it was Logan's turn to shrug as he replied nonchalantly, "Right after we met." Ignoring Scott's stupefied expression he said, "Alright, show and tell's over Cyke. Unless you have any helpful tips to give me, I say you make like a tree and get the hell outta here. I need to think."
Scott slowly collected their empty mugs as he got to his feet. "You know," he began, avoiding the evil eye Logan was giving him. "I can say this about Rogue: When she cares for someone, she's not afraid to show it. She wears her heart on her sleeve, y'know? Maybe you should do the same."
Logan stared at him in dumbfounded disbelief before sputtering indignantly, "But I've already told her - "
"Yeah, you told her," Scott interjected mildly. "And she didn't believe you or want to hear it. So make her hear it. Shout it from the rooftop or something."
"This is your advice?" Logan demanded dourly. "Make myself look like an idiot so she can reject me publicly?"
Scott rolled his eyes even though he knew the action would go unnoticed beneath his glasses. "If you love her, you shouldn't care about looking like an idiot. Look, that charity ball is going on tonight and Rogue is giving a speech. If you want her attention..."
"What?" Logan barked as the younger man trailed off. "Jump onstage and proclaim my undying love in front of God, the team and all of Chucks big-wig guests? Is that what you're telling me to do? Is it?"
Staring up a the feral mutant as he loomed menacingly over him, Scott merely nodded and said, "Well... yeah."
Logan sank back into the porch swing with a distinctly greenish hue to his complexion and dropped his head into his hands. "I miss Magneto."
The Wolverine & Rogue Fanfiction Archive
Barely Legal Since 2000
Author's Chapter Notes:
Disclaimer: i don't own the x-men or anything else. Not even the socks i'm wearing...
This chapter is a bit hasty. Work has just been totally heinous this past week, so i'm sorry for the delayed update. I think i got one more chapter to go here, but i've been thinking that for the past 3 chapters, so don't take my word for it, though i'm gonna finish this before my birthday next tuesday even if it kills me. Title comes from the City and Colour song "The Girl" which is just beautiful. reviews are appreciated!
This chapter is a bit hasty. Work has just been totally heinous this past week, so i'm sorry for the delayed update. I think i got one more chapter to go here, but i've been thinking that for the past 3 chapters, so don't take my word for it, though i'm gonna finish this before my birthday next tuesday even if it kills me. Title comes from the City and Colour song "The Girl" which is just beautiful. reviews are appreciated!
Chapter End Notes:
I didn't think Logan would give Scott too big an insight into Rogue. I mean, the last guy he told her name to died the next day! anyway, next chapter, the charity ball. and don't worry, i like a growly manly Logan. No massive mush or exsessive sappiness. at least i hope not... Logan may have other ideas.