He should’ve thrown rocks at her.
It’s a thought he has from time to time, more now than he did when he first met the kid. Well, not so much a kid anymore.
It’s something that bugs him when she seeks him out around the mansion, when she catches up with him after a mission, when she turns that full-watt smile towards him.
He should’ve thrown rocks.
That was something he picked up…somewhere. Couldn’t really remember if he tried, which used to be the crux of his problems. Choppy memories of a place he lingered in too damn long for his own damn good. Out in what had to be the farthest reaches of Canadian civilization, sharing precious little resources with a bunch of equally fucked up people until the weather let them pass. It went against all his instincts when some guy who had a terrible sense of self-preservation if he was talking to someone like Logan, started in about a lone wolf he found prowling around the place he was renting. Normally he wouldn’t pay any attention to these fuckers outside of a cage, but it had been a long time since Logan had run into someone so stupid.
The guy was leaving food out for this wolf, trying to coax it to come closer each day. The creature was limping, and this poor fucking sap thought himself a veterinarian or some shit. He’d come into the bar every night and talk about how close the wolf came, what scraps it would eat, how he petted it, got it to come to the door, until he practically had the damn thing move in with him. Went against Logan’s instincts. He knew better than anyone how wild that wolf was, how this prick really wasn’t doing it any fucking favors. Teaching it to trust humans would bite him in the ass in the way only a wild wolf could.
And like clockwork the asshole came into the bar one night, but he didn’t offer up any stories about his new pet. Not until the barkeep asked him. He’d found the wolf earlier that day, near a campsite with a bullet through it. The damn thing had trusted the wrong humans. Wouldn’t have happened if the guy had tried to scare if off right from the get go. Thrown rocks at it, done anything to keep it wary.
That’s exactly what his instinct told him when he found Marie. No, she wasn’t some wild creature, but he sure as hell was. She needed to keep her defenses up and not trust some crazy fucker like him. She did though, even after watching him fight and flash his claws. Girl had no sense.
Then again, neither did he since he stopped and gave her a ride. Went after her when she left the mansion. Held her on the train. Fought for her. Bled for her. Practically died for her.
And now she trusts him.
And now every time he thinks about the next person she’ll trust like that it sets his teeth on edge, makes his knuckles ache. He’s the one that taught her that when he should’ve been throwing rocks at her instead.
Something hits his head, then the clinking sound of it bouncing off of the boards on the deck. He looks down and in the borrowed light from the kitchen he sees a pebble. Picking it up, it easily fits in his palm and he tests the texture, even smoother than his hands with the calluses he’ll never have. Another hits his head in the same place, must have come from the same direction.
She steps out of the shadows when he turns, bouncing a pebble in her gloved hand.
“The hell do you think you’re doin’?”
She just smiles. “Throwin’ rocks.” It’s a knowing smile. She doesn’t even have to tap her head this time. He wonders just how many times she’s had conversations about this with him in her head than he’s had with himself.
He grunts. “These aren’t exactly rocks, darlin’.”
“Sometimes rocks don’t need to be thrown.” The smile’s gone and she’s all serious now, all grown into herself. He looks at her, really looks while he wrestles his outdated instinct into submission. He’s not dealing with the kid he picked up on the side of the road in Canada. She’s more of the Rogue than she ever was before.
She’s even more his Marie than she ever was before.
He doesn’t need to worry about throwing rocks anymore.
The Wolverine & Rogue Fanfiction Archive
Barely Legal Since 2000
Story Notes:
Didn't think much of this when the bunny attacked me. Unfortunately, even though I pried it off in time the thing was diseased and the plot grew in my brain. Came across this idea in my textbook actually, while cramming for finals. Then in true Roganite fashion I closed the book and started to type this up. I can't wait to see what this does to my GPA.
Author's Chapter Notes:
I usually let a fic sit & then go over it a billion times to try & catch mistakes. Didn't do it this time so I apologize for any mistakes. For all those waiting, I'm still working on MANimals, but my final exams come first.
Chapter End Notes:
You survived another one of my fics! *Throws confetti & hands you cake* If you would be so kind and review I'd love you forever. I would really like to see how you guys felt about this one. Thanks!!