Title: Cold Burn

Author: S J Smith

Rating: Teenish

Summary: Bobby tries not to be jealous.

Disclaimer: If I had any part of this, I wouldn't be living in Boxtown.


Watching them together made Bobby clench his hands. Jealousy flared up through his body, and he tried to shake it off. He told himself it didn't mean anything. Rogue and Wolverine, well, they were friends. He'd brought her to the mansion, after all, and taken care of her when she was out on the road. Besides, Wolverine was sniffing after Jean, and didn't seem like the kind of guy who'd do something to jeopardize that possibility – even if it was as likely as an icicle in hell.

Bobby knew what crushes were, and yeah, it was just as obvious to him that Rogue had one on that big hairy guy. He didn't think Wolverine would take advantage of Rogue's feelings for him; he just didn't seem like that kind of guy. Plus, it was kind of obvious Wolverine looked at Rogue like she was a kid. Even if he did go after her when she ran away from the mansion, even if he heard that Wolverine saved her life, it was something that a guy would do for a girl he cared about, like a sister or something.

Yeah, he'd just keep telling himself that, he thought, watching as Rogue smiled at Wolverine, even if something inside him wanted to throw up an ice wall between them.

X X X

"Yer boyfriend don't like me much." Logan switched his cigar from one side of his mouth to the other, looking up at Rogue. A motorcycle stood between them, and Logan sat on a creeper on the garage floor, tools strewn across a dropcloth within easy reach.

Rogue rolled her eyes, but at least she didn't deny that the ice kid and she were a thing. "He's jealous."

"Yeah?" Reaching for a star driver, Logan flipped to the right size, inserting the driver into a screw and broke it loose from the frame. Welding would be better, provide a sturdier frame for the bike, and he'd show Rogue how to weld the metal pieces together. "Does he have a reason to be?" He glanced up at her, not surprised when Rogue turned her head away, brushing her hair away from her face. The movement didn't disguise the flush in her cheeks, or the way her heart rate increased. She even smelled warmer.

"Ah don't wanna talk about it, Logan."

He grinned. "Right, darlin'. So, you pick a subject."

X X X

Bobby shook his head. He could trust Rogue, he knew he could. Besides, it was understandable, wasn't it? Her closeness to Wolverine – he'd saved her life, more than once. He was the only person she'd ever touched who hadn't been really hurt. So, Bobby wouldn't say anything, even if there was a cold burn in his gut, one that made it hard for him to eat, sometimes made it hard for him to think past the burn.

But he'd deal. Yeah. He would. Because a crush wasn't love, and Bobby knew Rogue loved him, not Wolverine.

X X X

(end)