When consciousness embraced her, she wasn't tired. In fact, she felt bright and awake, just aching to leap up out of bed. The mornings were kind to her when she got all the sleep she needed, and in the recent days she got all she wanted. She hadn't opened her eyes yet. She was wallowing in that uncertain haze of waking, letting her senses join her one at a time.
Touch... her flannel pyjamas, the soft cotton pillow cover against her face, a wide bed. Wide bed...
Smell... A familiar scent as she breathed in, a spicy delicious smell of shampoo - men's shampoo. She rubbed her face in the pillow, devouring the softness and the smell. Oh she liked that.
Where was she, where was she? Smell, touch...
Sound... A light snoring, as if a large cat were asleep in the room, a rough snuffle to it.
It fell in her mind and a knowing that it just took a moment to remember claimed her. Yes, she was in Logan's room. She smiled at that, writhing in the bed a moment, just enjoying the sensations around her that were all a part of Logan's life too. His bed... his pillow... his smell... his breathing. She felt safe here. So safe, so happy, content.
Finally she opened her eyes, and looking next to her on the bed, she saw she was alone. Alone? Then who was breathing?
Rubbing the corners of her eyes, she slid over the other side of the bed, sticking her head over the edge.
Logan was stretched out on the floor, limbs like a big star, his head tilted back and jaw hanging a little open. She tilted her head, watching him sleep, amused that he was still fully clothed. The amusement soon waned as she realised he'd slept on the floor that evening, no blanket, no pillow. With a frown she pulled the blanket from the bed, and she slid down off the bed and down next to the sleeping man. She dragged the blanket over him, covering him well, and grabbing a pillow she tilted her head.
How was she going to get that under his head?
Pressing her lips together, she gripped the pillow. She wanted so badly to put the pillow under his head, but she knew he had those instincts of his, those waking nightmares. Clenching her teeth, she leant forward, wedging her glove-covered fingers under his neck, sliding them up the back of his scalp, lifting his head gently.
She pursed her lips together, trying not to laugh. When he wasn't having a nightmare, perhaps when he knew it was her moving him... he was as floppy as a sleeping tabby. She let his head fall back onto the pillow, and he ticked a nostril, sniffling. She smiled, patting the blanket around him, satisfaction welling within her and comforting her regret that the poor man had spent the night on the floor.
A small lick of his fringe sat against his eye, and she frowned. Leaning forward, she drew it away from his face with a careful fingertip. She wasn't as careful as she wanted to be, because she brushed his brow, and it twitched down.
Hands slid around her suddenly, roving, checking, and she blushed wildly.
Oh... *dear*.
After having a good feel around as to what was against him, he grunted in approval. Poor Rogue didn't know whether to laugh or swoon.
She opted for keeping still, just watching his satisfaction as he embraced her, the slight upwards curve of the corners of his mouth, the lightness in the lines around his closed eyes. She wondered if it was her that made him smile so, or just the fact that she was a female body against him so early in the morning.
So she hummed, a little sweet tune that made itself up as she went along, dragging slivers of his hair away from his face. She battled the smile on her features, and a part of her was in a delightful slice of heaven. He grunted, shifted his head, and his hand came up and seized hers. He didn't open his eyes, just massaged the hand in his, taking a long breath in, and gave a squeeze of the flesh that happened to be in his other hand. He didn't know he was clutching Rogue's behind.
Rogue knew. She blushed, looking away, dying and swooning all at once.
The hazel eyes snapped open, and glancing to her he frowned.
"What are you doing?"
She looked back at him, raising her brows. What was *she* doing?
"Ah just gave you a blanket and pillow to make you more comfortable. You were the one that made yerself at home."
Logan looked around her to see where his hand sat. His eyes widened with a mix of horror and embarrassment, and he slid away, red tingeing his cheeks.
"Geez, I'm sorry, Kid..."
She just smirked, the blanket still around her as Logan leapt to his feet.
"That's okay, it's not every day I get that sort of treatment."
He narrowed his eyes at her, pressing his lips together. He didn't really need to say anything, the look said it all. He said something anyway.
"You know you're a flirt?" he said, turning and striding over to his wardrobe.
Rogue smiled, "Oh I know it."
Logan grabbed a few articles of clothing and made for his bathroom, eyeing Rogue as he went.
"I'm gonna shower, then I'm gonna eat. You're free to wait for me."
She nodded, "I'll get changed and come back n' wait."
Logan kept his eyes on her for a moment longer, a little smile gracing his features. Rogue was sat on his bed, looking wide-eyed and hungry. That hungry look had his blood a little hot in his veins. Damn it all. Okay - he was going to shower. And she could smell *his* shampooed wet body through the damned door.
Upon exiting the ensuite Rogue was quite composed and relaxed, lying on his bed and reading one of his motorcycle magazines. Okay, maybe he didn't affect her as much as he thought he did. Not that he was supposed to *care* if he affected her or not! Oh God, he groaned in his mind, This isn't right, this isn't right.
He tipped his head towards the door, and Rogue pulled herself up to her feet smoothly, smiling a little after straightening out her purply-red long-sleeved top.
"Ya hungry?" he said, waiting by the open door as Rogue joined him.
"Gee, how couldya tell?"
Logan just smirked, "You got that look in your eye."
He closed the door behind them and they made their way to the mess hall.
"What kinda look is that?"
He glanced back at her. "That you'd devour a omelet at 30 paces."
She tipped her head, "Ah dunno, I could really go for a sausage about now."
He coughed, disbelief seizing his chest, and he shook his head.
"Okay, I don't think I wanna know where you got that sense of humour from but it's really inappropriate."
"You like it," she said smoothly.
He smirked, "That's not the point."
She gave a silky chuckle and went around the corner of the corridor, striding into the mess hall. All heads, strangely coloured or not, lifted as she breezed into the room. Kitty and Jubilee squealed, falling over themselves to get up to their feet and over to her.
"Baby!" Jubilee wailed, finally getting her balance and racing over to Rogue.
Kitty was close behind, and Rogue staggered as the girls launched themselves into her arms. Tears were in the girls' eyes, Jubilee huffing and cradling Rogue's face with grey-gloved hands.
"I was so worried about you!" Jubilee mumbled, "I couldn't sleep!"
"Ah came to get some stuff last night," Rogue said with a weary smile. "You guys were asleep, you missed me."
"You should have woken us!" Kitty said, her eyes overflowing with tears. "We were terrified that you would be in that stupid room forever!"
She whimpered and hugged Rogue tightly, Jubilee hugging her too.
"We love you so much," Jubilee said, "Don't scare us like that again!"
"Ah'll try not to," Rogue said, an overwhelmed smile on her features.
Logan watched the scene with a strange rush of happiness, envy and pride. Marie was lucky that they all cared about her so much. The way she bonded with those girls was special, he could tell that. Not everyone could boast such a companionship, and he knew that Rogue would be lucky enough to always have that. Logan knew that a good portion of the adult population in the school didn't care what the hell happened to him, and the other portion was female. Didn't take a scientist to know what their interests in him were.
He was as relieved as those girls at Marie's improved condition, cause unlike them, she was all he had.
He felt a little strong hand drag him towards a table, and he kept quiet as Marie sat him down at the table with her girlfriends. Had he a choice he wouldn't sit there.
Today he'd give the kid a break. Just today.
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