The Wolverine & Rogue Fanfiction Archive
Barely Legal Since 2000
Author's Chapter Notes:
So real life took over for a few days, but I'm back now and the regular updates will start up again. Thanks to everyone whose stuck around this long!
Rogue was not afraid. She wasn’t. The sweaty palms and feeling like she was going to throw up any minute, the intense urge to turn around and run for the hills; they were just side effects from Hank’s cure, they were in no way signs that she was afraid. Nope, none whatsoever.
She timidly looked around the corner and back into the large cafeteria filled with mutants, a lot of mutants. Her nose crinkled as she tried to filter thru the massive array of scents assaulting her. Someone needed to warn the students here to lay off the perfume and cologne for those with heightened senses. How could Logan and Hank stand it?
Speaking of Hank, she saw him at the far end of the room sitting at a circular table with Jean and Cyclops, whom she had met briefly after her release from the Quarantine unit earlier today. To say they had been excited about Hank’s discovery of a cure for Legacy was an understatement and both the doctor and Jean had immediately run off to work on perfecting the serum and produce it in mass quantities for immediate dispersal. It took them two hours. There had been fifteen infected already housed in the unit at the mansion. They had been the first to receive the improved vaccine and all but one, for whom the cure had arrived too late, had survived.
The news had obviously spread, as there was an air of excitement and relief throughout the school, especially in the cafeteria and she made a mental note to see if Logan had some earplugs she could borrow. Never in her life had Marie ever been around so many people, especially not at one time. To say the entire experience was starting to overwhelm her was an understatement.
Her gaze moved from the crowded room down to her outfit. Hank had given her a set of school issued t-shirt and sweatpants until she had a chance to go out and get some clothes of her own. Logan, probably noticing the look on her face, had told her not to worry about money; that he would help her out until she had a chance to get her feet under her, but she had politely declined. It had been hard enough to swallow her pride and accept the clothes, but she had left the lab with nothing but a tattered lab gown to her name and that had been sent off to the incinerator when she was placed in quarantine. Unless she planned to wander around the school nude, she needed something to wear. Sighing, she tugged on the short sleeves. Though she had regained full control of her skin once the virus was out of her system, she still felt a little nervous walking around so many people with so much showing. Too many chances for something to go wrong.
Looking back up into the cafeteria she frowned. She had survived years in the lab, had gone toe to toe with Sabertooth, had been blown up, almost killed by the Legacy virus, and never once did she flinch from the danger. Was she really going to turn and run away because of a little awkward social interaction? Suddenly, something that looked like fireworks started going off, followed by sprays of ice and a large portion of the room erupted into laughter, almost drowning out the curse words of whoever the victim of the apparent display had been. She could do this, just slip in now when no one would notice. She took a step forward. She wasn’t afraid. Another step. She wasn’t. A smaller step. Okay, maybe she just wasn’t really that hungry. It was, after all, nearly impossible to eat when your stomach was tied up in knots.
Turning to make her getaway she slammed straight into what felt like a brick wall, but was in reality Logan’s chest. She growled, looking up at him while gingerly rubbing her nose which had taken the brunt of the impact. He looked down at her in amusement.
“Where you going kid?” he asked, a smirk on his face.
She stood up straight, trying to regain what little dignity she still had, “Going outside for some quiet and fresh air.”
He leaned against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest, blocking her way and looked over her shoulder into the crowded room, nodding his head, “Yeah, you get used to it after a while, learn to ignore it mostly, but you know,” he looked back at her, the smile on his face growing bigger, “It sure looked to me like maybe the big, bad Rogue was running scared.”
She glared at him, but could feel the red blush of embarrassment already forming on her cheeks and then the rush of stubbornness hit her. “I was not!” And then to prove the point, she turned on her heel and walked forward into the cafeteria, trying not to notice the way the noise level seemed to suddenly die down. She forced herself to keep walking, one foot after the other, breathing slowly thru her mouth to avoid the smell overload while trying not to listen to the whispers that were starting around the room.
Is that the Rogue?
I hear her skins poisonous, that she can suck you dry, like a vampire!
What is up with Wolverine? Is that a smile on his face?
You better hope not, he only smiles right before he’s about to kill something.
She really beat Sabertooth? That’s hard to believe.
Yeah, she doesn’t look nearly as scary as I thought she would.
Damn, and I thought Ororo was hot, check out the ass on her!
Better watch it Bobby, I think Wolverine heard you. He’s giving you the evil eye.
That last one caught her attention and she looked back to see Logan two steps behind her glaring at the young boy she recognized as the one who had been shooting off ice sprays a few moments ago. When his gaze returned to look forward again she locked eyes with his and raised an eyebrow in question, which just caused him to frown at her and grunt, putting a hand softly on her lower back to keep her moving quickly towards the food line.
There was an array of various foods to choose from and Marie again started to feel overwhelmed. Half the foods she didn’t even recognize and some, she did and wished she didn’t. She pointed to bowls full of what looked to be worms and insects and looked at Logan beside her, “Is that what I think it is?”
“Yeah,” he said, “Sometimes mutations also mean weird food cravings. It’s not as bad as you’d think.” She looked at him in disbelief and then wrinkled her nose which earned her a grin. “Unless you’re feeling adventurous, better stick to the things you recognize,” he said as a cook came up and passed four large steaks still half bleeding over the counter to him. Eyeing the pile of meat longingly, but eventually deciding to play it safe, she grabbed a large salad and bottled water. She turned to go find a place to sit when Logan’s hand on her arm stopped her.
He was frowning. “You need more than that kid. You’re healing powers have been pushed to the limit. You’ll need the food to help recover.”
She looked down at her tray and then over at his to which he had added a large variety of items to the pile of steaks. She wanted to gag just looking at all the food.
“Logan, even if I could eat more, which I highly doubt after spending half my life on nothing but protein bars,” she cast a glance around the room which had now returned back to its normal level of talking. “Everything is just,” she struggled to find the words, “Overwhelming. Honestly sugar, I’ll be lucky to keep this down.”
He looked around the room and then giving it a thought, grabbed her tray, putting a roast beef sandwich and bowl of soup on it and motioned for her to follow him, carrying both trays to a side door that opened to the outside. Ignoring the stares of people sitting in the courtyard, she followed Logan out to the outskirts of the school grounds, across a large grass field to a big oak tree.
Following his lead and sitting down beneath it, she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, smiling as the beautiful scent of dirt, grass, and trees filled her lungs, along with the smell of their food and lots of Logan’s intoxicating woodsy scent. Current Logan and past traces of him, faded with time. The pounding she hadn’t even noticed in her head suddenly eased and all the nervousness she had felt before was gone, replaced by blissful peace and quiet.
“So, this is how you handle it all,” she said, opening her eyes to take her tray from him, suddenly thankful he had gotten the extra food for her. She felt like she could eat a whole cow.
He nodded, looking out over the empty field and forest line, “When I first came here, I was more animal then man still. Needed a place to get away when I started to feel “overwhelmed”, before someone got hurt.”
She sniffed the air again, looking for something and frowning, “Have you never brought anyone else here before? I only smell you.”
He looked at her, the expression on his face unreadable. “No, didn’t really cross my mind to. Usually I come out here because I want to get away from people, not have them hanging around.”
She nodded, understanding after what she had experienced in the cafeteria and from the own desire in herself that called out to nature and the solitude. Suddenly she realized what a big deal it was, him showing her this place and she felt slightly guilty. “You didn’t have to bring me out here. We could have stayed in the cafeteria. I could have handled it.”
He snorted and raised his eyebrow at her.
“I could have!” This time he just smirked and hearing the lack of conviction in her own voice, she growled and started unwrapping her sandwich, which made him laugh.
“I figure you need this place more than I do right now,” he said, amusement still shining in his voice, before looking pensively down at his steaks. “Besides, it ain’t too bad. Sort of nice to share it with someone who understands,” he said, smiling at her.
She smiled back and they ate their meal together in comfortable silence. They finished eating too soon and Rogue found she wasn’t yet ready to leave the quiet solitude. Apparently Logan wasn’t either as he stretched out, leaning against the tree while he lit up a cigar. She found herself enjoying the smell of it; it was a smoky sweetness that seemed to fit well with the rest of his scents. Never in her life could she ever remember being this relaxed, this comfortable, this safe, and before she even realized she had dozed off, she was awoken by Logan shaking her shoulder slightly.
“Marie, Chuck’s been buzzing me on the head phone. We’re going to have to go back in now.”
She looked up at him from where she was, snuggled against his chest. When had she gotten there? “Chuck’s been doing what?” she asked, still not fully awake.
“Professor Xavier’s been asking me to bring you up to his office.” From the tone of his voice, Rogue could tell he wasn’t pleased about something and she felt an unease come over her, bringing her wide awake.
She leaned back and stretched her arms over her head, enjoying the pull of the muscles, watching as Logan stood up and turned offering her a hand and helping her to her feet with a quick pull. Catching her balance, she looked up to find him staring down intently at her, her hand still grasped in his own and for a moment she thought he might kiss her, found herself leaning forward to kiss him, when he turned away suddenly.
“Fuck, we’re coming! You didn’t have to send out the damn cavalry!” He shouted to the sky and then started stomping off back towards the school building. She was going to ask what the heck he was going on about when she caught the slight scent on the wind. Cyclops was heading their way. Quickly grabbing up the trays and garbage, she ran to catch up to Logan. By the time she reached him, the two men were in the middle of a heated argument in the back lawn of the school and a small crowd had started to form, eavesdropping from a safe distance around the corner of the building.
“What she needs is a fucking chance to rest and recuperate,” Logan growled and she could tell the Wolverine was very close to coming out to play.
“Yeah and I’m sure that’s what you had planned dragging her off into the woods,” Cyclops eyebrows narrowing over the red tinted sunglasses he wore. The sound of Wolverine’s claws sliding out cut through the air. This guy was either an idiot or he had a death wish. Either way she figured he deserved whatever he got for that last remark.
“You better watch that mouth of yours One-Eye, before it gets you in trouble.”
Cyclops paused, as if considering whether a fight was worth it. Apparently it wasn’t. “Just bring her to the Professor Logan, that’s an order,” then he turned and walked away, the crowd quickly scattering as he passed by.
Tossing the trays into a nearby trash can she walked over to where Logan stood, looking at the ground, body tense and claws still out as he tried to reel back in the Wolverine.
“So, is it always so exciting around here or is it just on my account?” she asked, standing next to him.
“Oh yeah, it’s always sunshine and rainbows where me and One-Eye are concerned,” he grunted and then turned to look at her, once again in full control.
“So you going to tell me what that was all about then?” she asked, arms across her chest.
“Just a difference of opinion,” he said, and she could tell by the tone of his voice that was all she was going to get from him. She followed him into the building, walking in silence, until they stood outside the door to Xavier’s office, a bad feeling growing in the pit of her stomach.