Ok, so he'd been lying about the talk to you later part. She had made herself conspicuously available all day, but there'd been neither sight nor sound of him.
Huffing quietly to herself, she gave up pretending to watch hockey in the rec room (it was *hockey* for chrissakes, surely he'd want to come and watch that?) and decided to go to bed.
Stupid *men*. Drawing a bath, she fumed silently. She was never more grateful of having her own room until now. She didn't feel like being sociable anymore. So what if he had come home? He was an ass, and she was feeling grotty and tetchy and... whatthefuckwasTHAT?
She turned off the water. Maybe she was imagining it. There was no way that...There. There it was again! The soft click of her window lock, the scraping of wood against wood...Oh SHIT! She was being robbed! She was gonna be attacked! What if it was the Government again?
Ohmygod ohmygod, she thought to herself. Breathe. Breathe. Think about what Scott said in training. Keep your cool. Stay calm. Focused. Be assertive, like you're not to be messed with... "Don't come any closer." Her voice trembled a little. "I have a..." she looked down at her hands... "toothbrush," she added a little weakly. "And I know how to use it."
Dammit was he laughing at her? Trust her to get the only intruder with a sense of humour. "I mean it!" she added for effect.
"Good," came the response, and she almost sagged against the wall with relief. Logan. "Else your X-man dental plan would be shot."
That did it. She flung open the door with a glare. "Logan what the FUCK are you doing climbing in my window? Why can't you just use the door like everyone else?!"
He grinned. "Got the room next door to yours kid, was on the balcony and it seemed like a short cut."
"Uh huh?" She gave him her best I-believe-you...*not* face. That was the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard. Why use a perfectly good door when you could risk life and limb four floors up breaking and entering? It was obviously one of those stupid male things designed to prove manliness. Right up there with DIY and prodding open fires with a stick, and...why was he staring at her? She... oh!
She slammed the bathroom door shut, grabbing her robe from its hook and tugging it into place before taking a deep breath and opening it again. The door, not the robe.
He was still laughing at her, the fucker. "Relax," he said. "It was nice underwear."
"Yeah well, maybe I'll come waltzing into your room through the freaking window and see how you like it." God this was so embarrassing, she could feel her face flaming and everything.
"Wouldn't do that kid," he said with a smirk. "Won't be no underwear to be seen."
Ok. So that image made her swallow her words right back down again. Dammit, and he *knew* he was teasing her. Well, if he was gonna act all childish and juvenile delinquent, she would act all adult. Show him how much she had grown up. Do the polite conversation thing.
She took a deep breath, tried not to look self-conscious, and gave him her best attempt at a smile. "So, how've you been?" There. That wasn't too hard. She hadn't even drooled or anything.
"Not bad," he shrugged.
"Get lots of...uh...stuff...done?" Ok, probably not the best question to ask since 'stuff' tended to imply 'the bad guys', and 'done' was short for 'beaten-to-a-snarling-pulp-and-made-into-an-adamantium-kebab'. But hey, it was better than nothing.
"Not really."
And that appeared to be the end of that conversation. Ok, he was still looking at her smugly, so what next? She wasn't exactly overcome with idle chitchat ideas.
"Good journey?"
"Yup."
Again. Total conversation killer. He could have at least made up a few complaints. Given her a topic to work with. God, this pretending to be all grown up stuff was a lot more than it was cracked up to be. She settled for folding her arms and watching him expectantly instead. Waiting.
"What?" he said eventually.
"Well, you broke in here. I'm waiting for you to tell me what for."
"Oh." That seemed to throw him a bit. "Sorry about that."
And that was it? No explanation? No excuse? No falling to the knees in wanton despair and begging for forgiveness? Ok, the last part was fairly unlikely, but a girl could hope. Not her of course, but you know, *theoretically* and all that...
"Actually," he added breaking into her chain of thought, "I didn't really plan on comin' back. It just sorta happened. But now I'm here, y'know, it feels kinda good, and..." he trailed off as he suddenly looked a little more awkward. Shifted around on his feet a bit. "Look, I know I'm disturbin' you tonight, but I jus' came by to find out if you wanted to go out, get a drink or somethin'. Maybe tomorrow?"
~Guh?~
Her heart officially stopped. Like a date? Did he mean like a-
"Y'know, for a friendly chat," he added hastily. "Catch up and all that."
Oh. She forced herself not to show her disappointment. "Sure," she said easily, as if it meant little. "What sort of time were you... Argh! No I can't! It's the night of the grad ball." Ok, so now not only was it not a date, but she was turning down the not-a-date. Life was cruel.
"Oh."
Was it her imagination, or did he look a little crestfallen. "Sorry," she tried.
"Ok, well, 'spect I'll be made to come along and chaperone anyway," he said with a shrug. "See you tomorrow kid."
At least this time he left by the door.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Second chapter's up folks *g*. Thanks for all the fb on the first - Woohoo! *does the happy dance*