“Stop fidgeting.”
“Easy for you to say Scooter. I bet you’re loving every second of this.”
“Yes Logan, I love being pressed against your manly physique. Oh baby, oh baby.”
“Do you even know what the hell you’re doing? That thing will never fit in that small hole.”
“It will fit if you’d just. Stop. Fidgeting. Y’know, at your age you’d think you could do this by yourself.”
“First of all, I don’t know my age. Secondly, I always just got Rogue to do it for me when I needed to. And you’re tugging too goddamn hard on that thing!”
“Oh, you can take, I’m almost done. And I hope to god you were paying attention, because this is the last time I’m doing this for you!” Finally finished, Scott stepped away and admired the perfect knot he had made in Logan’s neck tie. Compared with the mess Logan had made of it before swallowing his pride and asking for help, it was definitely a step up. The charity ball was already under way, but both men had taken a bit longer to get ready than anticipated. Mostly because Scott had been able to convince Logan to let him give his wild hair a trim and instead gave him a complete make-over. It was easier to do than he thought it would be because he just kept telling Logan that he had to ‘even it out’. Apparently the feral mutant had a fear of having a lopsided head. “Well, how about that,” he said now while Logan peered apprehensively into the mirror hanging on Scott’s closet door. “You actually had a face under all that hair.”
“You butchered me!” the other man moaned, running his hands across his now smoothly shaven cheeks and shorter haircut with a shell-shocked expression on his incredulous face.
Scott groaned in disgust at his childish tone. “Get over it,” he replied. “With your metabolism, in a week you’ll never even know that you looked civilized for a brief time, and Rogue will get the surprise of her life. And you’ll never hear me say this again, but you’re… an attractive man under all that hair. The suit doesn’t hurt, either.”
Logan paused in the middle of putting on his suit’s jacket, a wry smile playing at the corners of his mouth at his friend’s words. “Geez Scott, I never knew you felt this way about me,” he simpered, batting his lashes seductively while Scott snorted back his laughter at the doe-eyed expression on the fierce Wolverine’s face.
“Let’s just hope Rogue feels the same. After going through the horrors of dressing and grooming you, it would be such a waste of my talents if she didn’t.”
“I know why I gotta wear this monkey suit,” Logan said, eyeing himself in the mirror again as he took in the jet black suit and forest green silk tie he wore. “This shindig is black tie, but why the hell did I need a haircut? Or a shave for that matter? Rogue likes it when I look –“
“Like you just crawled out of the gutter?” Scott interjected as he got to work on his own navy blue tie. Logan bared his teeth at him as he continued patiently, “For a lady killer, you sure don’t know much about women. Sure, she likes the way you look, but trust me, there’s not a female alive that can resist a tough guy turned classy. She’ll love it.” With one final adjustment, he stepped back and nodded approvingly at his own reflection past Logan’s broad back. “OK,” he announced with a clap of his hands. “I’m ready. You?”
Logan grunted noncommittally, his hands roving restlessly over his suit clad body. “I can’t do it,” he said suddenly as his arms dropped limply back to his sides. “I have no idea what the hell I’m supposed to say to her and for the first time in my life I think I’m actually gonna barf.”
Scott patted his arm in commiseration. “You’ll be fine,” he said encouragingly. When Logan still looked unconvinced, he grabbed his arm and began to tug him towards the door. “C’mon big guy. Let’s get a beer in you before show time.”
Sipping delicately from a champagne flute, Rogue nodded politely at the man in front of her as he continued talking earnestly about his many businesses. Mr. Kerr was a great contributor for the school and she didn’t want to alienate him by appearing disinterested, although why she bothered she had no idea; the man couldn’t even raise his gaze from her chest to meet her eyes for more that two consecutive seconds and the constant leering was grating on her nerves. His stare was so heated she couldn’t even try to pretend that he was merely admiring the strapless green evening gown she wore, which had a tight, form-fitting bodice before flaring out at her hips to graze the floor, and the longer he stared the more her ire grew. At these fundraisers for the school, Rogue had always been delegated into the role of hostess because of her popularity among Xavier’s contributors and she usually enjoyed the task. Her mother had been born into a rich family and up until she had become pregnant at 17 with Rogue and was disowned by her parents, she had been well taught in all ways of being a true Southern lady. The lessons that she had learned were then passed on to Rogue, for even though they had lived in practically a shack near a swamp, her mother had wanted her daughter to become more than a backwoods hick. And so every day young Marie would have lessons on her mother’s piano that had been given to her from her grandmother, as well as lessons on etiquette and how to be the perfect hostess. By the time her mother died before her daughter’s tenth birthday, the lessons were already engrained into Rogue’s brain and even though she was a tomboy most of the time, she still managed to appear ladylike and sophisticated while climbing trees or playing in mud.
Now she played the part of the Southern belle perfectly, having an air of dewy helplessness about her that the men couldn’t resist and the women found charming. Her accented, sultry voice was pleasing to both male and female and made compliments sound sincere, no matter how extravagant, while her proud way of walking with her head up and shoulders thrown back gave her poise and grace. Combined with her heartbreakingly beautiful face and exquisite body, she drew people to her like moths to a flame. By all rights many of the women should have been jealous of such a breathtaking woman, but her untouchable skin was common knowledge to everyone, and at most they just thought it was a pity that such a lovely girl had such an unfortunate mutation.
However, since learning control of her power, this was her first formal event without gloves or body stockings and Rogue sensed a subtle shift in the partygoer’s reaction to her. The women seemed more guarded and the men more bold, as though the sight of her without her customary gloves made her into a different person.
Spying Charles from across the room waving at her to get her attention, she remembered that it was almost time for her to give her speech and she gratefully cut into Mr. Kerr’s long winded explanations about crude oil, a regretful tone in her voice as she said, “Forgive me sir, but ah’m afraid we’ll have to continue this conversation at another time. Ah do hope you won’t think me terribly rude to leave you now.” Barely listening to his reply, she immediately hurried towards Charles, grabbing another flute of champagne and downing it on the way. Ah just gotta do this speech, and then ah can head to the Danger Room, she thought to herself. Ah definitely need to hit somethin’.
Forcing a smile, she stopped next to Charles and asked brightly, “So how’re the folks takin’ to seein’ ya in a new body? Anyone freak out yet?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “No,” he replied. “People are interesting. They can accept the most amazing things, yet abhor the most natural. It’s a strange world indeed.” He lowered his eyes and asked carefully, “Have you seen Logan yet?”
Ignoring the sudden pounding of her heart, Rogue feigned a disinterested look. “He actually came to this affair? Ah’m surprised he’s not hidin’ out at some dive bar.”
Charles’ wise eyes bored into her, and she knew he wasn’t fooled by her blasé tone. “He hurt you deeply, didn’t he,” he said softly. It wasn’t a question.
“No more then ah’ve hurt him, ah guess,” Rogue returned sadly, her eyes distant. Shaking herself out of it, she gestured towards the stage where the small band was winding down. "Ah reckon ah'm up next. Ya mind if ah call it a night after?"
Charles shook his head. "Of course not," he replied, a winning smile on his face as he said, "After you have a dance with me of course. It's been many years since I've danced with the prettiest lady at a party."
Chuckling softly, Rogue nodded and turned to make her way towards the stage as the band disappeared into the wings. She mentally went over the standard dialogue she said at each of these functions: We at Xavier's thank you for your contributions; without you yada yada yada, obligatory corny joke, hold for polite laughter, raise champagne glass for toast and that's all folks.
Satisfied that she had it down to an art form, she stood before the microphone and waited until the chatter died down while she flashed her most friendly smile at the large crowd of nearly 400 guests. "Welcome, everyone, to our home," she began once complete silence had reigned. "Everyone here at Xavier's school would like to thank - " Rogue was suddenly interrupted by a loud burst of static from the speakers, followed by the opening chords of the Temptation's song 'Ain't Too Proud To Beg'. Wide-eyed, her mouth clicked shut with an audible snap as she craned her neck around woodenly in confusion, her eyes searching. Within seconds her gaze turned directly to the curtains to her right where the band had vanished behind, only to see Scott and a clean-cut Logan arguing over the controls for all the sound equipment. As the music continued, she just barely made out their words, mostly relying on her fairly good talent for reading lips.
"Damnit Scott, I told you, no music!" Logan was snarling while Scott held up his hands in a placating manner. "Do I look like a music type of guy to you?"
"I thought it was a nice touch," Scott said sheepishly before his face suddenly lit up as though struck by a brilliant idea. "I got it!" he exclaimed, extending his hand to press a button on the equipment beside them as he said hurriedly, "This one's even better. It's Elvis! 'You Don't Know Me', very fitting to the situation..." his words dried up as the music that now came pouring from the speakers and into the astonished ears of the guests was not Elvis, but the song 'Sexx Laws' by Beck. Scott's face immediately crumpled into lines of horror as Logan stared at him in mute disbelief. "Wrong button..." Scott choked out, then leapt backward as Logan extended his claws before driving them into the music equipment, effectively shutting down the offending music and leaving the stunned ballroom of people in dazed silence.
Stalking past Scott and his sputtering apologies, Logan determinedly stalked past him and out onto the stage towards a dumfounded Rogue. Oh mah gawd, she thought, completely floored. Nothin' like this ever came up during one o' Mamma's lessons. Ah'd love to see how she woulda handled this one.
He finally stopped less than a foot away from her while she stood awkwardly, her body partly facing the crowd of guests while the other half turned towards him as she maintained a plastic smile, conscious of the microphone before her. Forcing a relaxed tone, she said "Hey there Logan. Ah can see all the technical problems have been sorted out; everything's in workin' order here, so ya can... get off the stage. Please?"
"I'm sorry darlin'," Logan replied, seemingly uncaring of their voices being carried over the microphone. "But I need you to listen to me. And to believe me."
"Ah don't think now is really the time to - " Rogue began before he cut her short.
"I've wasted too much time already," he said roughly as the crowd gasped softly at the passion in his voice before immediately clamming up to listen greedily as he continued. "I've hurt you; things I've said, things I've done. And I never knew it. I couldn't see what was right in front of me because... the way I feel for you is so much bigger than love. I've never known anything like it before and I'm sorry it took me so long to see it. I'm sorry."
Rogue was biting savagely down on her tongue to keep from either crying or screaming; at the moment she wasn't sure which urge was stronger. His words were chipping at the hard shell she had built around herself to keep him out, and all the reasons she'd had for denying him were slowly ebbing away. The fear that all his feelings were temporary, however, remained. Sensing her trepidation, Logan stepped closer to her and lowered his voice so it wouldn't carry to the audience.
"I love you, Anna Marie," he whispered, the sound of both her names coming from his lips taking her breath away as tears began to sting her eyes at last. "Everything I have, everything I am, it's all because of you. You're my best friend. And I want my life to be with you."
Rogue stared deeply into his hazel eyes and was finally able to really define why they drew her in so. They had the exact colour as the woods near her home in Mississippi, when the heavy rain clouds closed in and cast dark shadows amongst the heavy vegetation, making everything appear mysterious and exciting. Gazing into them, she now felt the same comfort and wonder she had felt when she was a child marvelling at the beauty of nature and with a deep breath she raised one hand and grazed her fingertips across his shaven cheek which was already sprinkled with dark stubble. The feel of his bare skin against her came as an electric jolt, setting all her senses on fire as she stepped closer still. "You're in it now," she murmured as she inclined her face towards his. "Then you're in it for eternity."
His lips grazed hers teasingly while his voice rumbled from his chest, making her shiver. "Eternity sounds good to me." With that, he pulled her flush against him, bringing his lips fully down on hers as he kissed her tenderly. The ballroom of guests before them erupted into spontaneous applause and loud cheering while the couple on the stage continued to kiss with reckless abandon.
From his position in the crowd, Charles clapped until his hands hurt, pausing only to absentmindedly hand a pristine white handkerchief to Hank who stood beside him, weeping softly into his large furry hands. The blue doctor blindly groped for the offering, finally snagging it before wiping his teary eyes. "It's just so... beautiful," he choked out in a watery voice.
Jubilee and Kitty appeared on either side of him, both wearing huge grins as they each grabbed one of his brawny arms. "Dude, I don't think I've ever heard Wolvie say so much at one time," Jubilee laughed, her eyes shining with happiness. Suddenly Bobby sprang from the still cheering crowd, a soppy grin on his face as he clutched an open bottle of champagne tightly to his chest.
"It's about time those crazy kids got together!" he shouted drunkenly, bracing himself on Piotr's sturdy shoulder as his legs wobbled. Turing to the stage, he waved his bottle over his head in a salute. "Go Roguey!" he cried. "Go Wol..Wolv.. I think I'm about to ralph." with one hand clamped across his mouth, Bobby turned and ran into the crowd, vanishing within seconds as the thick throng swallowed his form.
While the others laughed wildly at his dramatic exit, Charles turned back to the pair on the stage who were now holding hands as they walked away, their gazes still glued to one another. Smiling broadly as his own eyes prickled with happy tears, the Professor shook his head as an amused thought entered his mind.
Took them long enough.
The Wolverine & Rogue Fanfiction Archive
Barely Legal Since 2000
Author's Chapter Notes:
Disclaimer: i don't own the x-men or any of the songs mentioned in here. i just borrowed them.
Alrighty guys, end of the line. this is the final chapter and the end of my story. i plan to write some one-shots, if the creative urge strikes me. sorry for the delayed update, I didn't finish this before my birthday and i'm still alive. so, thanks for everyone who read and who reviewed. you guys are great. i hope you all had fun reading it, i had fun writing it. chapter title comes from the Leona Lewis song. and i also used Rogue's comic name of Anna Marie again. Hope no one minds
Alrighty guys, end of the line. this is the final chapter and the end of my story. i plan to write some one-shots, if the creative urge strikes me. sorry for the delayed update, I didn't finish this before my birthday and i'm still alive. so, thanks for everyone who read and who reviewed. you guys are great. i hope you all had fun reading it, i had fun writing it. chapter title comes from the Leona Lewis song. and i also used Rogue's comic name of Anna Marie again. Hope no one minds