DISCLAIMER: Whoever it is, it's not me.
SUMMARY: Wolverine&Rogue + angel
WORDCOUNT: 1193
FEEDBACK: +bounces+ Pretty!

Written for mzzgoddessblue at Christmas Drabbling

IGNORANCE IS HAPPINESS
by Leni

He discovered her in one of the empty bedrooms at the far end of the mansion. She was sitting on the bare mattress, back slumped carelessly against the wall and her legs curled under her as she gazed into the ceiling.

"A waste of perfume," Logan told her by way of greeting. She'd sprayed her favourite bottle into practically every corner, from the changing rooms to the kitchen and even through the gardens.

Apparently the ceiling held the mystery of life on its surface. "It took you more than three minutes to find me. I'll say it worked," she answered at length.

He stayed under the doorframe. "You knew I'd come?"

She rolled her eyes. "Who else would dare?" Indeed, the shy girl who'd first arrived to Xavier's Institute was no more. When her mood soured, Marie's temper was matched by few and surpassed only by Logan's own. "I knew they'd recruit you sooner or later."

He nodded. Jubilee had knocked determinedly on his door, a blushing Bobby and Kitty on tow. True to form, Jubilee had rushed through an explanation for their searching party and why he was needed, though he'd only needed a glance at the new couple to assess the situation.

Now that he'd found Marie, Logan saw no reason to update the others. The teenage angst could wait until he was a couple miles away; he'd agreed to hunt Marie down only to get rid of his own unease at not knowing where she was. This girl got in more trouble than he'd care to get her out of - if he wasn't aware he'd get her out anyway.

He decided to enter the room, though. Escaping to the city could wait until he was sure Marie would behave like a good girl and not fly away or zap Bobby and Kitty out of their powers. He idly wondered when he'd become such a mother-hen as he closed the door behind him, leaned against it and gazed at her silently. He knew Marie, waiting her out was his best bet.

Finally, she deigned to look up, eyebrow cocked in defiance. Maybe Ororo was right; maybe Marie did spend too much time around him. "You know," she said, irritation colouring her words, "When a girl bothers to knock off those senses of you, no matter how unsuccessful, the least you could do is to take a hint."

He chuckled. "You could have stolen my bike and be in New York by now. That is a hint."

Despite herself, she smiled. "Is it stealing if I have a copy of your key?" She dug into her pocket and dangled a key ring before him.

He'd never given her that copy. Logan rolled his eyes, both at her attitude and at the fact that she'd put the key to a bad-ass bike into a flowery key ring. No, Ororo was definitely wrong. He'd never spend too much time with someone and they'd still buy such a thing afterwards.

"Relax. Jubs bought it for me."

Now that he thought about it, Logan felt he should have guessed. "And you accepted?"

"Hey, I'd bet my savings on who convinced you to look for me. Ever thought of denying her?"

He opened his mouth, but closed it immediately. There was no point in telling her that Jubilee's stubbornness hadn't been the decisive factor. Instead he changed the subject. "You plan on sequestering yourself until they announce the wedding?"

"Don't mess with me." She huffed. "Though they might as well get married, with all the honeymooning they're doing already." She twirled the key ring, fingering the bright yellow rose thoughtfully.

Logan didn't have anything to say to that. He'd known that Marie and Bobby had parted because of her mutation mostly, even after all both parties pleaded otherwise. He hadn't known that she'd still be bitter over it, though.

"Actually," she began suddenly, "you're half-right. I'd planned to use your bike - but to ride it straight into Bobby's new car."

His eyebrow rose. See? That was exactly the kind of problem she'd get in.

"No sweat, I listened to the benevolent little angel on my right shoulder, swept the little devil off the left one and just flattened Bobby's tyres."

Logan let out a laugh. He had to. He owed Ororo a drink, though. "Feeling better?"

She shrugged. A sharp shrug that said 'doesn't really matter' with an edge of 'and the world can go to hell if it did'. It'd taken him months to make it perfect. One touch and it'd become her trademark. Privately, Logan thought it looked better on her. "That angel of yours told you to hide out, too?"

"My options were limited."

Like hell they were. She could be in New York by now. She just hadn't wanted to brood alone. Whatever, it wasn't like he had better plans for the evening. He palmed his own set of keys through his jacket with one hand and offered the other to her. "Come, darling. I'll take you out until you forget your ex-icebox and Kitty turns green with all the attention I'll give you." Yes, he knew that most of the girls within the mansion had a crush on him. Just because he was male did not mean he was oblivious.

Marie looked unsure.

"Look, Marie. They'll tire pretty soon of looking for you, then Bobby will want to treat his girl out and guess what he'll find in his park place?" He looked at her in the eye. "Just how much do you want to be home-bound for the rest of the year?"

She reacted at that, but not how he'd expected. "Rogue, Logan. Rogue."

A half smile was his own reply. "Sure. The day you call me Wolverine I may give it a thought, Marie."

Poking her tongue out, nevertheless she knelt on the bed and grasped his hand to use it as leverage to get off the bed. Once standing, she cocked her head, looking at him consideringly.

Logan refused to see anything but her curiosity. Hers was not a crush, not anymore. Her expression spoke of hunting and prey and smugness, and of a willing female. Sometimes being a non-oblivious male had its downsides, Logan thought as an old adage of ignorance and happiness rang in his ears. But he liked this girl, and he'd never push Marie away - whatever she had in mind for him.

Slowly, she grinned and patted his hand comfortingly. "I'll behave."

Somehow, he was even more discomfited by this promise. When had she started reading his thoughts?

She bounced happily past him and opened the door. As she waited for him to reach her, she made a brushing motion over her right shoulder and then turned to smile at her left one - the one where she'd just confessed a little devil lived.

Logan sighed.

Using her perfume as a decoy, making a copy of his keys behind his back, and flat tyres. And that had been the angel talking.

"You're paying?"

Logan studied her and nodded, hoping against hope that her worst would be to play with his credit card until all shops closed.

Marie grinned widely and clapped in delight.

Hoping against hope, indeed.

The End
09/12/06