Chapter 5: Iced Out
“Iced Out” “ Westchester, 2024, Revised Timeline
It wasn’t his fault he’d gone back.
It had all started after a particularly grueling session of Fight Club. He’d made them sweat today. Poor kids. They were soft in this timeline, too soft, and Logan often felt like his work was cut out for him. He especially had been hard on Dani, whose ego had been getting in the way of her ability to truly be spectacular in jiu-jitsu. He’d been harsh, making them run a few miles longer today. And even though Logan was alongside them, running just as hard and for as long, they still hated him for making them do it.
Afterward, he had stalked over to empty faculty locker room, taken a long and hot shower. Place was empty, usually was, and he wondered for the first time if the adults needed a few more training sessions themselves, for as empty as the gym could be. Maybe he would talk to Charles, see about a danger room session. Meanwhile, Logan had thrown on a clean shirt and a pair of jeans, hair still wet as he had padded out of the lockers and headed up the stairs, intent of Marie’s room.
He had heard it first. Before he rounded the corner.
“He doesn’t know you like I do.”
“Just...drop it, Bobby.”
Then he saw them. Bobby, leaning in too close. Marie, obviously resisting, a scowl on her face. The smell of her disgust and annoyance was so distinct Logan could practically taste it on the air.
Motherfucker.
“Things alright here?” Logan had managed to snarl. The fucking ice prick jumped back from Marie five paces after he had seen Logan approach.
“Yes,” Marie had said, a steeliness threaded in her voice. “Bobby was just leaving.” Bobby sneered at her, and quickly stalked off down the hall. Logan crossed his arms uncomfortably, before turning back to Marie. Her brown eyes were wide as they settled on him.
“It’s not what you think,” she had said quickly, cheeks flushed, looking embarrassed.
“I know,” Logan grumbled. She was biting her lip with worry now, eyes darting to the direction Bobby had walked off.
“Don’t….do anything to him. He just needs time.”
“Can think of a few other things he needs too,” Logan mumbled.
Afterward, in her bedroom, he had fucked Marie hard and long. He’d bitten her a little too rough. He’d made sure that those vows they’d had a few weeks ago in Mississippi, that they were more than skin-deep. As he moved inside her, he had demanded that she tell him, a few times over, who she belonged to.
Afterward, they had talked about it. A little.
What’s his deal… can’t get over you? He had asked.
Let it go, she had said.
Like fucking hell.
It was only early evening, but after a while Marie had dozed off. Logan had gotten up silently. He moved out of Marie’s bed, stalked down the hall to his own room. He’d gotten dressed once more, and also snagged a bottle of whiskey from his private stash and quickly made use of it.
Bobby made his blood boil. For all the fucking reasons. He was weak in a fight. Had a fucking attitude on him. He could be snide with the students. And he had been with Marie. Had made a claim over his Marie. It didn’t matter if they hadn’t been exclusive.
He doesn’t know you like I do.
That’s what got to him the most. The fucking time. Logan hadn’t been around to really know this Marie. And for a short amount of time he wasn’t sure he wanted to, so desperate to revive the old Marie in his mind. But now, now , after Mississippi, things were changing. Logan was learning. Learning Marie’s likes and dislikes. Her fears. Her compulsions. The little things in life that would garner a smile on her face. Like how she would she wanted one sugar in her coffee, but she meant two. How much she liked Faulkner, but hated Thoreau. How her favorite dessert was key lime pie, but not that fake green shit. The real kind. Where the filling is tangy and yellow, and the whip cream is so light and fluffy it tastes like clouds.
He was learning, alright.
But Bobby had gone too far. Fucker shouldn’t be anywhere near Rogue. Another swallow of whiskey, Logan sloppily wiping his mouth with his hand, and Logan settled on the conclusion that the asshole needed a lesson. A harsh one. Fuck Rogue’s voice in his mind telling him otherwise. Fuck Marie’s pleas to leave Bobby alone. He’d promised her to stay away, but this last assault...well. The fucker had gone too far.
Wasn’t hard to find him. The ice prick always smelled like nitrogen dioxide. Fucking crystallized water. Snow and shit. Door was locked, but he’d happily let out claw and sliced through it.
He’d been on his bed, still fully clothed, thank fuck, listening to an ipod. Probably some sappy emo shit.
“What the fuck?” Bobby asked, whipping up out of bed and staring at Logan wildly.
“Here to tell you to back off,” Logan grumbled, wiping his bloody knuckles on his other palm, before crossing his arms tightly. At this, Bobby sat up even more, a scowl on his face.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Bobby asked, feigning innocence.
“Today was too far, bub. She’s through with you,” Logan managed to growl.
“Funny how she’s not telling me that herself,,” Bobby shot back, standing to his feet at least.
“Don’t press me, you fucking adolescent,” Logan sneered.
“I’m forty two ,” Bobby shot back.
“Whatever,” Logan growled, taking a step toward him. With what little instincts Bobby seemed to have, he was a least smart enough to back up a step in response, although the room was small and there weren’t very many places to go.
“Listen… dude. I’ve stayed away,” Bobby said
“Bullshit,” Logan growled. “Rogue’s said you’ve still been ogling her a bit too long over morning coffee.”
“You mean Marie,” Bobby suddenly said under his breath. And then, Logan’s anger spiked, as he took another step close to him, fists clenched.
“What the fuck did you say?” Logan asked.
“Nothing. But it seems like you need some reminding of just who I was to her. We were serious,” he spat.
“Aint how she sees it,” Logan snarls. “And it seems you need some of yer own remindin’ on how things are now.”
At this, Bobby only snorted.
“Spit it out,“ Logan ordered. Another step closer, and Bobby’s back was almost to the wall. Bobby shook his head, throwing a sneer once more in Logan’s direction.
“It’s just… fuck. You’re that insecure, aren’t you? You’ve got her, she’s yours, and here you are….banging on my fucking door? Makes sense. Maybe you’re just like the last version. Years, man. For years she pined after you. And you, ever the fucking asshole, would still take off at a moment’s notice. Leave her in the dust. Lead her on and then vanish.”
“I aint’ the same asshole I was,” Logan snarled, interrupting his little monologue.
“But you’re still an asshole..” Bobby spat.
“Watch yer mouth, bub,” he ground out. Last warning.
“You’re gonna end up breaking her heart,” Bobby shook his head bitterly. Something inside Logan twisted up, and he ignored the cage rattling in his mind of a memory of the latest scar that was a little too slow to disappear. Meanwhile, the shithead was still talking.
“Some way, somehow. She doesn’t deserve shit under her shoe like the likes of--- hck!!” Logan had him up against a wall now, hand clenching around his throat.
“What?” Bobby gasped. “You’re gonna choke me, kill me?”
“Was thinking about it,” Logan snarled.
“Go ahead,” Bobby spat. “Take a fucking hit.”
“Ok,” Logan said, and quickly and effectively punched Bobby in the face, quickly blackening an eye. Bobby let out a yell, clutching the eye, before shouting, “What the fucking hell man?”
“And that was me being easy on ya. Come on, kid. Get it out. You and me,” he said. “And no snow shit.”
Bobby only sneered, and jerked forward, slamming into Logan, trying to get him to the floor. Logan was quicker though, faster, dodging quickly and turning around…
Then, the numbing pain of cold. Kid had grabbed and had practically frozen Logan’s left hand, and as he did he punched Logan squarely in the jaw. Bobby them screamed, withdrawing his hand away in agonizing pain.
Logan smiled a bit, even though he spat out blood.
“Adamantium hurts, doesn’t it? Yer an idiot, kid. And a fuckin’ cheat,” Logan spat, shaking the last of the pain away as his body healed the damaged frostbitten tissue. With his right, he punched him again, harder, effectively breaking the kid’s nose
“Mother fucker! ” Bobby shouted. Just as Bobby brought his hand up to his bloody face, Logan heard Rogue’s voice from the doorway.
“What in the fucking hell is going on here ?” she shouted. They both turned around, Bobby getting up from where he had fallen to one knee, still clutching his nose with one hand. Logan wiped some blood off his mouth again, staring dejectedly at Rogue.
“Bobby, what did I-” Rogue began, barely able to contain her anger.
“ He started it!” Bobby shouted, pointing to Logan. Logan only sneered. Rogue shot a nasty look at Logan, and something that felt a little like fear settled inside him.
“That right?” Rogue barely asked under her breath. Logan scowled but gave a quick nod of his head. He could practically feel the fresh swell of anger flowing off her.
“ You,” Rogue pointed at Logan. “Bedroom. Now. I’ll deal with you later,” she said. Logan snarled at being told what to do and threw one more nasty look in Bobby’s direction, before doing as Marie had ordered before he ended up killing the brat.
Meanwhile, Rogue sighed deeply, staring at the doorway Logan had just disappeared through, before turning back to Bobby, arms crossed.
“Stop this,” she whispered vehemently.
“I didn’t-” Bobby began.
“-You know what you’re doing. You’re goading him. Ticking him off. So stop it. I’ve told you. We’re over.”
“Were we ever a ‘we’?” Bobby asked quietly. Rogue only rolled her eyes, scowling at him once more.
“Bobby… we’ve been through this,” she said, an annoyed, heavy note in her voice. As she turned to leave, however, she heard him speak again.
“Like a goddamn fairy tale,” Bobby muttered under his breath.
“ Excuse me?” Rogue asked. Bobby snorted bitterly, even through the blood.
“He changes overnight, you get to fuck him…dreams come true,” Bobby muttered.
“You really think that’s the reason I’m not with you?” she whispered vehemently.
Bobby only sneered at her again, and, making up her mind, Rogue strode forward quickly, only centimeters away from him, and he visibly flinched.
“That’s what I thought,” Rogue whispered to him.
“What?” Bobby managed to spit. Rogue only blinked, shaking her head the slightest.
“You’re scared of me. Always have been. Always will be,” she breathed.
“And he’s not?” Bobby asked. At this, Rogue only smiled slightly.
“No. Never. Not in this timeline. Or the last,” she said.
Bobby said nothing as he stared at her. She frowned, before exhaling through frustration and turning on her heel to leave.
“Hope you get that happy ending, Rogue,” he said snarkily. At this, she turned around slowly in the doorway.
“Thanks, but I already have it,” she said simply, and with that she strode out of the door, leaving Bobby and his broken nose and the life she had lived before behind her for good.
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