Extremely short one-shot that wouldn't leave me alone. Meant to be Rogue and whoever you want it to be, I guess. I just had to write it!
X-Men copyright Marvel Comics. Used without permission, no intent to sell.
Thump, thump, thump.
Her heartbeat was loud, almost obnoxious. She could it hear it so clearly, but everything else around her sounded so distant.
Her view wasn't much better: darkened streets at a ninety degree angle, with various bursts of light from energy beams and lightning.
So quiet except for the thump, thump, thump of her heart.
Small bits of rock skittered across her face and she startled from it, though she could not move. It must have been an explosion.
She never heard it, however.
A hand came down, turned her so she was on her back looking up at the nighttime sky. The stars could kind of be seen, if you squinted.
A face got in her way, looking down at her. He was pretty too, though in a more rugged and handsome kind of way.
She loved him.
His mouth moved, and she watched it curiously because it was funny watching people speak without being able to hear them. Someone had pushed the mute button on her life, but left the bass on full blast, letting her feel each thump of her heart.
Thump. Thump.
Not as fast as before. That couldn't be good.
More funny movement of his lips and suddenly she was in the air. She thought maybe he had picked her up, but he stood beside her with his arms at his sides.
Staring at her.
She wanted to turn her head to him but couldn't. Now that really couldn't be good.
She was floating, she surmised, probably by telekinetics. The bright bursts of light from earlier had stopped and she wondered if the fight they'd been in had finally finished.
Who won?
Thump.
Stupid question, she thought. They must've won, if they were taking her back to the Blackbird.
She wasn't even sure how she ended up on the ground. One second they were fighting the bad guys—the next they were fighting the military, who were trying to subdue the entire scene.
They didn't care which side of the team they were on—to them they were all evil.
Thump.
He was next to her now and she realized she was in the jet. She didn't remember the trip at all; she probably passed out.
They must have banged her up pretty bad.
When her eyes met his, however, the tears made her heart jump.
Th-thump.
Why was he crying? She'd be okay.
Wouldn't she?
Th-thump.
It was just him, now. His mouth moving, tears flowing freely down his cheeks. Everything around him was so black, like the end of a cartoon when the character's scene disappears into a black hole.
He was holding her hand—she could see it out of what was left of her peripheral vision—but she couldn't feel it.
Th-th-thump.
"I love you."
She heard him! His voice was so ragged, so defeated. But she heard him, so that meant she was going to be okay, right?
She wanted to say it back to him so bad. She tried to open her mouth and speak.
"L-love ... y-y-ou."
His head bent down out of sight for a second. When he looked back up she could almost see the sobs escaping from him.
Everything was so quiet.
A part of her realized the beating of her heart had become silent, as well.
She felt a fog thicken over her senses and realized what was happening.
She was glad she had been able to get those two words out before—she didn't want to leave, but the feelings within her told her it was time.
This was what it was like, after all.
People had no reason to be afraid—this was very peaceful.
Her eyes never left his, even as the thick fog began to cloud her view of him. She wanted his face to be imprinted in her mind forever, wherever it was that she was headed.
She would wait for him.
Silence.
More.
So heavy. So....