TITLE: True Romance
STARRING: Hellion/X-23
UNIVERSE: Totally AU
RATING: M
SUMMARY: Following the relationship of Laura Kinney and Julian Keller-college students at the Xavier university-from beginning to end...simultaneously!
NOTE: Yes, yes it is named for the awesome Quentin Tarantino movie "True Romance"! How very astute of you.

True Romance

Chapter 1

NOW

The theme of today seems to be misery, or so Laura thinks as she hurries across campus, her backpack straining against the load of books she's crammed it with. Her gait is a half-walk, half-run; her face is pale and anxious, as she grows closer and closer to the moment she will have to admit that she is going to be late for her Math exam. An automatic mark taken off, her Professor had warned the class.

Cripes.

She looks down at the ground and muscles her way through a group of girls that are chattering in high pitched voices. Maybe if she cuts through the library she will make it on time. She darts down the side path, ducks under the branches of a tree, and—

"OOPPH!"

THUNK!

For a moment, Laura doesn't say anything, too busy trying not to release the threatening tears. She rises from the ground, looks at the mess of books and notes around her on the worn grass…and then at the person whose legs she has just tripped over.

Her face pales, and she makes a movement to scramble to her feet, but he's too fast; he catches her wrist.

"Hey—I've been trying to—" he says. The look on his face is full of surprise, and hope.

"JULIAN!" she snaps, as if it is an explicative. "Let me go!"

"We need to—"

"NO!" she shouts in his face. People are looking now; after a moment, Julian releases her wrist, and she gets to her feet, her face flushed with anger and embarrassment.

"Laura, we need to talk," he says quietly.

"There's nothing to talk about." She pauses. "Pick my stuff up so I can be on my way."

"Excuse me?"

"You're excused."

Julian grits his teeth, his eyes narrowing, and his eyebrows drawing together, like they always do when he gets pissed. He hates it when people tell him what to do. Laura feels a vindictive pleasure flooding her veins, like adrenaline. It might just be worth losing those five marks to tardiness after all.

"Go on, pick it up," she orders.

"Why should I do anything for you?" he asks, seething. "You don't even let me get a word in edgewise."

"There's nothing to say!" Laura's eyes flash. "Just get it through your head…I'm not stupid. We're over…done. There is nothing left for you here."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, kid." Julian raises his eyebrows to emphasize this statement; her eyes narrow.

"You fucked up so majorly that I don't even think about you anymore." Laura tilts her head. "I'm much happier alone."

"Is that why you cry every day?" Julian demands viciously. She has a momentary urge to strangle him, to wipe the stupid, cocky look off his face. His arrogance and self-confidence has always irritated her, the fact that he can always turn any criticism about himself around. It fits that he's planning to be a lawyer.

"I don't!" she snaps, but it's quite obvious that she's lying, because she's never been that good of a liar. "Now, you're making me late for my exam. If you don't get out of my way, I will give you something to cry about!"

"Not making you stay." Julian folds his arms. "If you're late…that's your own fault. I'd suggest less moping and more studying."

"I'd suggest a lot of things to you," she retorts. "Now pick up my goddamn books!"

Julian glares at her for a moment, then he shoves the mound of notes, making it fly everywhere.

"Have fun," he says with a mean smirk.

"You're such a douchebag."

"So are you."

Laura hits the ground in exasperation. "I can't believe I ever gave you a second glance, you know that? What the hell did I ever see in you? You're—"

…

TWO YEARS AGO
Freshmen party, Delta Chi Frathouse
Xavier University, NY

"—burning a hole in my forehead, the way you've been staring at me all night," Laura says, the corners of her bright-red lips tilted upward, and her thick eyelashes tilted down as she studies the guy in front of her.

"That would imply you've been staring right back," he says, casually. His eyes are warm, exciting; Laura senses a lack of fear and intimidation that she usually perceives in her would-be suitors. She feels as if she has issued him a challenge, and he has silently informed her that he is up to it.

"Well—" she pauses, and her smile widens, as she realizes she doesn't immediately have a snappy comeback. "I'll have to think on my response. The booze is making me a little lightheaded here."

"That's got to be it," he agrees grimly, although it's quite obvious that he's implying there is another reason.

"You're pretty full of yourself," she comments. "What are you here for?"

"To make social connections," he says. "Like you are, I'm assuming."

"I'm actually looking to get laid," she says boldly, hoping to shock him. "I just had a stressful exam period, and if I relax quick, I might avoid a case of zits."

"Interesting," he comments, as if they're discussing the weather. "Sex is usually more about the experience for me, although the endorphins are pretty great. Never thought about skin-clearing benefits." He pauses. "Mind if I use it in my sales pitch?"

Laura's nose wrinkles. "Sales pitch?"

"What?" he counters. "I'm just being honest. Everyone has a sales pitch. Getting partners is all about presenting yourself the best way possible, kid."

"I guess," she replies. "When I asked what you're here for, though, I meant in academic terms."

"Oh." He pauses. "Law school."

"Good," she says. "You're definitely the lawyer type."

"Lawyer type?"

"Covered in sixteen different layers of slime, and oozing arrogance." Laura grins at him sweetly, and to her surprise he gives her an answering smile, with no hint of offense or malice. The smile seems to spread from his eyes, relaxing his entire face; his scalp moves back slightly, as if it too is part of the smile.

"Then I'm bound to be successful, right?" he asks.

"I guess." She pauses. "My dad is a cop. He hates lawyers like…fuck, can't think of anything he hates more."

"Great," he says. "Do you have a good relationship with him?"

"Strained terms," Laura answers.

"Awesome," he says casually. "Think of how riled up he would get if he heard you're dating a lawyer."

"I'm not dating a lawyer," she answers, her nose wrinkling again.

"Sure you are," he says. "Me."

"You're not a lawyer," she points out.

"I will be," he says.

"Well, I'm not dating you anyway." Laura takes a sip of her martini. "I don't date. I have a career ahead of me…and I hate emotional gunk."

"What career would that be?" he asks.

"Medicine." She pauses. "I just finished the entrance exam…find out the result on Monday."

"Hey, I can be your lawyer then," he offers. "When you're a doctor, I mean."

"Stop trying to ask me out in a round about way," she orders.

He grins. "Go out with me on Friday?" he asks. "I'll make it memorable."

Laura pauses. "By doing what?"

"The activity will remain a mystery till that evening," he says easily. "If you want to find out what it is, you have to tell me where to pick you up…say seven o' clock?"

She bristles. "I just told you, I don't date."

"Don't call it that, then." He pauses. "Call it an event. Or an experiment. I don't care what it is, I just want to see you again."

She hesitates, her fingers playing on her glass. "No."

"How about I give you a trial run first?" he asks.

"Huh?" Her eyebrows draw together.

"Here." He reaches out, takes the glass from her fingers, and looks around, then sets it on a small side table. His hand wraps around hers, and it feels warm and strong. Laura looks down uncertainly, but as he pulls her closer, she lets her feet move.

She tingles as he leans in, slowly and deliberately; she suddenly realizes—as he begins to do things to just her mouth that she hadn't thought possible—that she is actually considering his offer.

…

NOW

"—the most arrogant, self-centered, egotistical prick that I've ever had the misfortune to know!" Laura finishes her tirade, her cheeks reddening with anger. Her green eyes sparkle with unshed tears. "You thought you could get away with that. The biggest insult about it all is that you thought I was stupid, that I would never figure it out. Well, I guess I was stupid, to ever go out with you!"

"Laura…this is all a misunderstanding." Julian says, after a moment. His face is guarded, probably concealing hurt at her sharp words. "You need to let me explain. It's not what you think—what you thought it was."

Laura trembles with rage at the thought that he's ignored what she's just said, acted like he can still pull a fast one on her. "You're insufferable. You're ruining my school, you know that?"

Now she gets a small reaction, other than the same useless script about them needing to talk. "What?" he asks, and there is a hint of worry in his voice.

"I failed three exams last term," she says, her voice strained. "With what happened…I couldn't concentrate…and then you kept bringing it all back up again…"

Julian reaches up, rubs his neck. "Did you talk to any advisors about it?"

"They won't care," she says. "This kind of shit makes no difference. My personal life isn't supposed to overshadow my education."

Julian is silent for a few moments. "I'm sorry," he says finally. "I didn't know. I wish you would've told me about that."

"I didn't want to talk to you." Laura glares at him. "I still don't want to talk to you."

"Well, I want to talk to you," he says. "Let me just say this. You were the most important thing in my life, and you still are."

They pause awkwardly.

"I'm losing marks by standing here," Laura says, ignoring what he's just said.

"Oh." Julian hesitates, then reaches over and begins picking up the scattered papers. After a few moments, he hands the somewhat straightened stack to her, most sheets none the worse for wear. "Get to it, then."

"Thanks," she says reluctantly. They remain for a moment, face-to-face, both kneeling on the grass and uncertain of what to say. The feelings they once had for each other linger in the air between them like a veil.

"Well, I'll see you later." Laura rises to her feet slowly.

Julian stays still for a moment.

"WAIT!" he shouts, scrambling forward as she begins to turn away. "Look—I'm begging you here, literally on my knees…please, we need to talk more. I need to tell you what happened, I think I'll explode if I don't get the chance."

Laura stops. "Just say it, then."

"No." He pushes himself up. "It's too long. Can I walk you to your class?"

Laura considers, a little calmer now. He's been trying to get her to talk for months, and up until now she has had no inclination to do so, too filled with absolute rage to consider letting him fill the air with lies. "I need to think about my exam."

"Oh. Okay." He pauses. "How about later? Dinner?"

"Umm…" she thinks carefully, trying to come up with an excuse. "I'm really tight, just now. My loans are late again."

"On me," he says. He hesitates, then reaches out and touches her shoulder softly. "Laura…it's been four months…and I tried to stop thinking about you…I really did. I can't help what I feel. I really, really love you." A moment passes. "I don't think we're done."

"Umm…" Laura's tone is uneven.

"Please, come on."

"I can't," she says. "I have a date. There's this guy…umm…a cop…" she bites her lip.

Julian raises his eyebrow. "Where'd you meet him?"

"In Med school…" Laura winces.

"Right." He grins. "Tonight….seven o' clock?"

"I—oh, alright," Laura says. "But this is NOT a date, okay? And I don't want to spend my whole night arguing."

"I thought we could have dinner…talk…have make-up sex—"

"Right," Laura says, raising her eyebrow. "I think I'd snap it off if you pointed it toward me right now."

"Okay, okay. Not the latter." He hesitates, then leans forward and kisses her forehead. "Good luck on your test, kid."

"See you."

They part ways.