Great. She checked off the day's achievements. Not only was she running late, had ruined her best top, had discovered Logan's interest in hardcore German... no, probably best not to go there. But now to top it all off, Logan thought she was in the middle of some sort of steamy threesome with Jubilee and Scott.
Short of leaving the country, there was little she could do to redeem the day. At least it couldn't get any worse... she hoped.
She sighed. First things first. Quash the ménage à trois rumours.
"Logan." She knocked hard on his door. Well there was no way she was barging in again. Not after last time. "Logan!" Fists hammered. "Logan I-"
The door swung open. The scowl was present and he did not look happy. "What kid?"
"I...uh..." Yes, *what* exactly? 'I'm sorry I caught you watching porn but I'm not sleeping with half the team?' Yeah. That'd go down well. 'I was helping Jubes out of her dress when Scott caught me in the middle of a naked scissor run?' Nope, that would just make him think she was on drugs. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.
"You just come here to stand in my doorway?"
"I...no. Not that it's...y'know... not a nice doorway..." *Fuck* "I just wanted you to know that...that... it wasn't as it seemed. I'm not, y'know, with Jubes... and with Scott," she added a little weakly.
"Looked that way to me, kid," he said, refusing to move an inch.
"It was an accident!"
"Oh. Ok. Well why didn't you just say so before."
Really? Rogue frowned. That had been far too easy, and...oh. He wasn't finished yet.
"You were jus' walkin' around and didn't realise you had no clothes on. Scooter's shirt just fell off... bad stitchin' I expect, and he was only gropin' you because-"
"He was NOT groping me!"
"Really. From where I was standin' it looked an awful lot like-"
"What business is it of yours anyway?!" Rogue yelled back. "It's not like you're interested."
"I'm not!" He yelled back, agreeing.
"So why you getting so worked up?"
"I am NOT!"
"Yes you are, you're shouting."
"I AM NOT...shoutin'."
She gave him a look. "Fine. Well. If you do decide you ARE interested. Then I shall be ready to go to the ball at eight." And with that, she turned on her heal, and walked right past her door in her hurry to get away.
Her thoughts raced with panic as she wondered what on earth had possessed her to say such a thing. Had she just asked him out? Where had that come from? Why was her mouth saying things without her mind's permission?
Oh God.
8:00.
He's gonna knock...he's not gonna knock. He's gonna knock, he's not gonna knock. He's gonna...Ohmygod what was that? Were they footsteps? Her heart hammered against her ribcage. They were! And...oh. The footsteps walked past. Not him.
She hoped.
She resumed her pacing.
He's gonna knock, he's not gonna knock. It was 8:05. He's gonna knock, he's not gonna knock. Surely he would've...by now...if he was gonna... But, no. He was always late, never on time. And he *had* got upset earlier about the...but maybe that meant that he *wouldn't* knock because maybe he still thought-
*Knock knock knock*
OHMYFUCKINGGOD. Breathe. Breathe. Y'know, that thing you usually do when air goes in your mouth and back out again. Oh god. Oh crap.
Maybe it wouldn't be him. Now that someone had knocked, she decided that, actually, going by herself was a much better idea. None of that worrying about clashing colours, and awkward conversation, and freshness of breath... Fuck, why was she thinking about that? That would imply she was thinking about kissing! Which was ridiculous. It wasn't like she planned to...or was even-
*Knock knock*
Ok. Deep breath. Swing door open.
There. That wasn't too hard.
God he looked delicious. Who would've guessed the man could pull off a tux. His collar was unbuttoned and his familiar belt buckle was gone, but he... he was staring at her in just the same way she was staring at him.
That felt kinda nice. The look on his face, it made her feel all tingly and warm. She felt her cheeks flame slightly. "Hey," she managed.
"Hey," he said back. Then he leant against the door frame, arms folded. He really did look gorgeous and...ok. Why was he *still* looking at her like that? I mean she knew it was a pretty dress but... She frowned and looked down. Maybe she had it on backwards or something...?
Oh yeah. That would be the tag. Shit.
"I'll just be right back," she squeaked, making a dive for her bathroom.
Ok, dress off. Dress on. Check makeup. Eeak! Was she really blushing that much? Brush hair. Check makeup again. Panic. Had she shaved her legs? Yes... they were good. Thank god. Not that it mattered of course. She wasn't thinking of... y'know...*that*. Oh God. Check hair again. Change earrings. Panic some more. GAAAA what was she still doing in the bathroom? Was he still out there? Had he left? He was very quiet. Ear pressed against the door. Yes, that was definitely a shuffle. He was still there. Ok. Swallow down butterflies in stomach. Reach for door handle. Turn.
He was still waiting for her.
"So," she said, hoping it conveyed all she really wanted to say, which actually ran more along the lines of 'take me now I want to have your babies.'
"So," he replied.
Then they just looked at each other.
She tried again.
"So, you came." ...Oh fuck that hadn't come out like she had meant it either. "I mean you came *here*," she added hastily. "To go to the ball, not the... I mean I wasn't referring to earlier...with the German... I wasn't implying... not that I don't want you be able to..." she swallowed, "because y'know, if you couldn't that would be... weird." Oh god just shut up shut up SHUT UP!
He raised an eyebrow. "You finished?"
She nodded meekly.
He held out a hand. "Then you ready to go?"
"You still want to? After...?"
"Yes."
Yes? He said Yes? As in the affirmative? Was she imagining things again? She resisted the urge to reach out and prod him to see if he was really real, but only because she had a sneaking suspicion he wouldn't be impressed. Still... 'yes'... So what if he wasn't a man of many words – he knew the ones that mattered. Woohoo!
"Ok. Just give me..." two or three millennia... "a second," she said, fumbling around for her wrap. She almost jumped ten foot in the air when she felt the touch of his hand against her skin as he helped lay it across her shoulders. Fuck he was being chivalrous as well. There was no way she was gonna survive the night reputation still in tact.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's part five lovely people *g*