A month and a half later, and things were going well. Logan still kept to himself, but he was learning to do more with the other students. Of course Scott got on his nerves every so often. When Scott wasn't looking he would try and comment on how bossy or controlling he was. He didn't know how, but he was also becoming fast friends with Jean Gray. They had some similar interest in books, and she was helping him find his way around Bayville. Every now and then, he could swear Scott was glaring at him.
And contrary to what Logan had originally thought earlier, Kitty didn't hate him. It did creep her out now and then when he would talk like her during a conversation, but would laugh when she would see the face he would make to get his own mind back in control. The exercises were also becoming easier as he trained and got a better handle on his claws. Logan was getting used to life at the institute and was starting to feel relaxed, but he did his best to ignore that feeling.
Whenever he felt relaxed, shit would always hit the fan one way or another. He wanted to relax, but he was paranoid. That was something he would have to work on. Correction; that was one of the things Rogue was helping him work on was his paranoia. The one thing that hadn't changed tough was the nightmares. Some nights he would just wake up in a cold sweat, and other nights he would wake up screaming. On the screaming nights, Rogue and Wolverine would be there to make sure he didn't injure himself again. Like the nightmares, the wounds varied.
Last week, he woke up screaming and found that he had shredded his bed and had his right claws going clear though his left arm. Wolverine or Rogue would take him down to the kitchen to try and get him to calm down. Wolverine would try and teach him a few breathing exercises that helped Logan deal with nightmares and drift him off into a dreamless sleep. He knew Wolverine was trying to help, but Logan usually found his advice annoying now and then. The one thing they shared was they usually didn't have that much to say unless it was during training.
With Rogue, she would try and talk to him about anything to get his mind off of the nightmares. He enjoyed talking to Rogue. He could relate to her in more ways than one. And it wasn't just with their abilities. He and Rogue had become good friends and found that they shared a few things in common. One thing he found out was Rogue was a fan of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and she got a kick out of the fact that he would like to go to a midnight showing while dressed as one of the characters. Their tastes in music differed, but they had the same tastes in books and a few movies.
That night, Logan and Rogue were heading back to their rooms after another nightmare. No claws, but it still had Logan screaming. Logan was enjoying their talk about the works of Edgar Allan Poe on their way back, but were trying their best to keep a good distance. Rogue was in an oversize shirt and shorts while Logan was only wearing a pair of pajama bottoms. They weren't wearing gloves, and were trying their best to avoid physical contact. The weird thing was that both found themselves unconsciously drifting closer to each other.
"If I can find that book, ah'll let you borrow it sometime." Rogue told him as they came to her bedroom door.
"That would be great. Before I forget, I'm going to be studying Shakespeare with Beast tomorrow. You want to hang out later?" he asked her.
"Sure. Maybe you can tell me why you like reading that stuff so much." Rogue said with a smirk.
"It's easy once you get past the elaborate words. Good Night." Logan said as he went into his room. "By the way, you might want to take care of a certain Kitty Cat problem." Logan said and pointed to Rogue's door.
When Rogue turned her head, she saw Kitty's face was peeking from it before Kitty gasped and retreated back into the room.
"Remind me to kill her slowly and painfully." Rogue said as she went into her room.
"So you're going to hang out with Logan again, huh?" Kitty asked with a small smile on her face.
"Yeah. What's wrong with that?" Rogue asked her annoying room mate.
"Oh, nothing. It's just that you've been spending a lot of time with him lately." Kitty said.
"So? He's a nice guy to talk to, and the Professor wanted me to help him." Rogue said.
"Come on, Rogue. You're, like, not spending all that time with him just because the Professor said so." She said.
Right now, Rogue was really wishing her roommate would shut up.
"So I might have become friends with him. So what?" she asked her annoying roommate as she crawled into bed.
"Please tell me you're not this dumb. He digs you, and you, like, dig him. Why don't you just ask him out?" Kitty asked.
"Oh get off it!" Rogue said as she threw a pillow at Kitty's head.
"Think about it, Rogue. It's obvious he likes you. Don't tell me you don't notice when he checks you out." Kitty said.
Rogue had noticed, but she didn't want to admit. The only other person who would look at her like that was Remy, but he just got on her nerves most of the time.
"I know that look. You have noticed, haven't you?" Kitty asked as her grin grew.
"What if I have? It's no big thing. The annoying Swamp Rat does the same thing." Rogue said as she tried to pull her covers over her head.
"But with Remy, there isn't the chance you might be able to touch someone." Kitty said.
"What are you talking about?"
"Think about it. You have the same powers. Don't you think you two might cancel each other out or something?" Kitty asked her.
Rogue had thought about it, a lot. She did like Logan but she was so used to being by herself that she had given up the idea of her ever dating. Then Logan came along and the idea started to come back, but she forced it away. She wasn't going to date someone just because she could touch them. And Logan was starting to give her other reasons to ask him out lately.
"I see where you're going with this Kitty, so just drop it! No one wants ta ask out a freak like me!" Rogue said and used her other pillow to cover her head.
"Maybe he thinks the same thing about himself." Kitty said to her before throwing Rogue's pillow back and going to bed.
What Kitty had just said echoed though her head. When she compared her life to Logan's, Rogue had been sheltered from a lot of stuff. Logan had been on his own since he was thirteen and had no one. He might consider himself a freak, and maybe that's why he hadn't made a move? Could she go out with Logan? Maybe, but what about their abilities? Could it be possible she could touch someone again? To feel the warmth of someone's hand against her own with out having to wear gloves? Rogue grunted loudly. Look what Kitty planted in her head, but the frustrating part was that it had been there before Kitty said anything. Could she and Logan be with each other?
"Please, God. Don't let me get hurt." Rogue said as she started to come to a decision.
Professor Charles Xavier was working at his desk grading a few papers from the students. Just because he founded the institute didn't mean he always sat behind a desk. He taught a few classes to the students himself to make sure they knew more than just how to fight with their abilities. As he graded a few more papers, he sensed someone coming to his office. He reached out with his mind and sensed who it was. But he could also detect that hey had something on their mind.
"Come in." Charles responded before the person could knock.
The door opened to reveal young Logan, wearing his uniform and looking like he had just been in a fight.
"I take Logan's morning exercises went well." Charles said as he offered a seat to the young man.
"Sort of. I was wondering if you had found out anything about my father yet." Logan asked.
'I see Logan hasn't said anything to him yet. I should talk to him later on.' Charles thought to himself.
"Nothing yet I'm afraid, but we have found several leads. I hope we might having something soon." The Professor told the young man.
"Okay." Logan said as he started to pop his knuckles and bit lower lip.
"Is there something else you wanted?" Charles asked.
"Professor, I don't how to ask this one in the right way. But – um – what would happen if Rogue and I touched? Without our gloves?" he asked him.
"I was wondering about that myself. Sadly, I truly don't know. You and Rogue are the first mutants with your abilities, so I don't have enough information on what would happen. One possibility is that you might cancel each others powers out." Charles told him.
"Let me guess, there's a 'but' in that sentence." Logan said.
"There is a possibility that you or she could strengthen your ability. If that happens, you may never be able to control it." The Professor told him.
"So I'm damned if I do, and damned if I don't." Logan said to himself.
"Logan, what are your feelings toward Rogue?" Charles asked him.
"She can be stubborn a lot of the time, and a pain in the ass. But she's also, I don't know, a good person. We like a lot of the same things, and she's not always depressed or gloomy once we start talking about something. She can be a fun person to be around." Logan said to the older man.
"That still doesn't answer my question." The Professor said as he looked at the young man.
Logan thought about it for a minute or two. He took a deep breath and let out slowly as he looked at the Professor.
"I like her a lot. I want to ask her out, but," Logan said and trailed off.
"You're not sure of her feelings toward you." The Professor said.
"Sort of." Logan groaned.
"I don't have much to offer with dating Logan, but I am familiar with an old expression." Charles said as Logan looked up at him. "If you want to learn to swim, you have to jump in the water." Charles said, causing Logan to grin slightly.
"You do know that's really corny." Logan told him.
"I'm well aware." The Professor said as Logan got up and began to leave.
"Thank's Professor." Logan said before he left.
"You're quite welcome." Charles said as he closed the door with his mind.
Rogue was walking along the grounds, trying to find Logan. He said he wanted to hang out today, but she was having a hard time finding him. According to Beast, he missed his lesson on Shakespeare. So where was he? As Rogue continued to walk, she was wondering about what Kitty had told her last night. Should she ask him out?
"ROGUE, DOWN!" a voice shouted.
When Rogue looked up, she saw a flying buzz saw heading toward her. She ducked just as she heard a loud clang and heard four thuds hit the ground. When Rogue looked up, she saw the saw had been sliced into four pieces and were sticking up from the ground.
"Are you okay?" Logan asked as he jogged towards her.
As soon as he was close enough, Rogue gave him a strong punch to the shoulder.
"Ya could have warned me about that!" she said to him.
"I thought I did." Logan said as he rubbed his shoulder and let out a small hiss as he retracted his claws.
"Still hurt?" she asked him.
"Not as bad, but I'd rather get a root canal." Logan said as he popped his knuckles.
"Have you been out here the whole time? Beast said you didn't show up for your lesson." Rogue told him.
"I was letting off some steam. The Professor still hasn't found anything on my father yet." Logan said as he turned off the machines before they could fire again.
"Sorry to hear that. So what do you want to do?" she asked him.
"Huh? Oh, right! I forgot. Um, I don't know. What's there to do around here?" he asked her.
"Not much. Scott, Kurt and Logan are watching a stupid football game, and the others went off into town." Rogue told him.
"How about a swim?" he asked her.
Logan dived head first into the pool as he felt the cold water cool off his over heated body. He came up for air as he felt a cool breeze blow against his skin. One of the things he enjoyed was swimming in a cold pool.
"Come on out Rogue! The water feels great!" he shouted as he swam to one side.
"I'm not coming out like this!" Rogue shouted from the near by changing room.
Rogue hated wearing bathing suits. Like most women her age, she thought her body didn't look good in a bathing suit and didn't want anyone else to see her. Including the man she was attracted to.
"Rogue, we're the only ones out here. Who's going to see?" Logan called out.
"Easy for you to say, you're just wearing shorts." Rogue said to herself.
"Rogue, you're going to look pretty no matter what your wearing." Logan told her.
Rogue let out a deep breath, gathered her courage, and stepped out.
The sight that Logan saw made his jaw fall slack and his eyes widened. Rogue was wearing a simple two piece bathing suit that was a dark purple. It wasn't exotic or anything, but it made her look amazing in Logan's eyes. Her body wasn't too thin but it showed off the muscles she had been strengthening since she came to the institute. Her legs were slim and smooth while her body had the classic sensual hourglass figure.
"Don't tell me ah look that dumb." She said to him.
"I-I-I, um, I mean you look – WOW!" Logan said as he continued to look at her, causing her to raise one eyebrow at his response.
"You think I look good?" she asked him, puzzled by his stare.
"Rogue, you look amazing! I thought only statues looked that good, but wow!" Logan said as he tried to keep his mouth closed.
"I'll take that as a compliment." Rogue said as she dove into the swimming pool, and came back up for air with a small scream.
"The water is freaking freezing!" she shouted.
"I know, but it feels great!" Logan said as he floated on his back.
Before Logan knew what happened, he received a face full of water. He looked up to see Rogue splashing him as fast as she could.
"No fair!" he shouted and started to splash back.
Despite their glum attitudes toward everything most of the time, they were actually having fun with their little battle. Each one was trying to peg the other with a bigger or wider splash of water. They were actually enjoying themselves.
"All right! All right! Truce!" Rogue shouted.
When both stopped, they noticed how close they had gotten to each other. Both of them could feel as if something unseen was pulling them towards each other. They both wanted to be closer, and they didn't want to fight the pull each other was feeling. When they looked down, they saw their hands were almost touching each other. They didn't want to fight it, but they had to. Both pulled their hands away and took a step or two away from each other.
"Being a mutant can really suck sometimes, can't it?" Logan asked as felt part of his heart sink.
"You don't how bad." Rogue said to herself, and they both stood there in silence for a moment.
"I think I'm goin to get a soda. You want something?" she asked as they both made their way to the pool's edge.
"I'm fine right now." Logan said as he climbed out of the pool. Rogue followed soon after and started walking towards the kitchen.
"You sure you don't want anything?" Rogue asked him as she walked backwards.
"I'm fine." Logan said as he looked up to see Rogue slip on part of the wet concrete.
Pure instincts took over as he ran to Rogue and caught her in his arms before her head could hit the concrete patio.
"Rogue, are you okay?" he asked her as Rogue tried to catch her bearings and figure out what had just happened.
"I'm fine. That was close." Rogue said as she noticed something. She felt something warm pressing against her shoulder and another against her lower back. It was warm, soft, but strong at the same time. That's when Rogue realized what it was, and she smiled when she noticed nothing was happening.
"Logan, you're touching me." She said.
Fear was starting to grow in Logan's eyes and he was about to let go when Rogue touched his face.
Logan was going jerk away, but he noticed nothing happened. No draining, no added memories, no added powers. He held Rogue's hand against his face as she regained her footing, and he smiled as he closed his eyes. A feeling he hadn't felt in years, and neither had she. It was actual, physical, human contact. He opened his eyes and saw a smile on Rogue's face as well. They didn't know what to say next to each other. They were just enjoying the fact that, even though it was just with them, they could be in contact with someone without worrying about anyone.
"So what do we do now?" Rogue asked him.
Logan looked through the windows and heard the guys cheering at the football game they were watching, and a small smirk spread across his face.
"I might have an idea." Logan said and raised his eyebrows.
"Oh no, I'm going to owe you my life savings if this keeps up." Kurt groaned as he watched the game.
Scott had bet Kurt the opposing team would win the game, and Kurt had taken the bet. So far, Scott was right on the money. Wolverine was trying his best not to laugh at the blue elf's reaction as he enjoyed the game. They al heard the door from outside open and close, but didn't bother to look up.
"So how was swimming?" Kurt asked miserably to whoever came in.
"Not too bad. Looks like Rogue twisted her ankle." Logan said.
"Do you need to get her to the infirmary?" Wolverine asked as he chugged down a soda.
"Nah. I'm just going to carry her to her room. Oh, could one of you guys get our clothes later?" Logan asked.
This caused all three to be confused for a second or two. They turned around and what they saw astounded them and caused Wolverine to spit out what little soda was left in his mouth. Standing in the door, and walking slowly to the stairs was a bare chest Logan, without any gloves, holding Rogue who wore nothing but a two piece bikini. Bare skin touching bare skin without any of them falling or getting weak. Both were smiling as they walked out of the room and enjoyed the looks on the three X-Men in the room as they ignored their game.
"D-does this mean their a couple?" Kurt asked.
"I really don't know." Scott said while Wolverine just smiled.
"A chip off the old block." Wolverine said as he finished off his drink.
"The looks on their faces was priceless. Ah wished ah had a camera." Rogue said as Logan placed her on her bed and began to take a look at her ankle.
"Did I really twist it?" Rogue asked him.
"No. It looks like you pulled a muscle in it is all. A day or two of rest and not using it should make it better." Logan said as he began to rub her ankle a bit.
"Mmm. Where did you learn that?"
"Here and there. It's weird. You learn how to use your hands in certain ways when you can't use them." He told her and continued to massage her foot.
"You enjoying that?" Rogue asked as she noticed how slowly he was massaging her foot.
"Sorry. It's just been a while since I," Logan said as he looked up and looked into her beautiful hazel brown eyes.
"Since I was able to touch someone." He finished as he felt somehow drawn to her again. The same feeling he had felt in the pool.
She could feel the pull to. They had both gotten to know each other since he arrived, and she couldn't help but feel closer to him. He had opened up to her and let her in, and she had done the same with him. She couldn't deny the attraction they both felt for each other. They both hoped it wasn't because they could touch; feel each other with out the barrier of any sort of cloth. She saw the desire in each others eyes as their faces came closer to each other. Their hands met and their fingers slowly intertwined with each other.
Their faces were so close now that they could feel each others breath on their lips. Their eyes met and knew that the feelings they felt. Both closed their eyes as their lips met each other for the first real kiss. The first kiss of both their lives.
"Hey, Rogue. You wouldn't believe some of the stuff we bought in town. And there was- WHOA!" Kitty said as she looked up and saw the two still locked in their embrace.
Rogues eyes opened slowly and bolted open when she saw Kitty standing at the door and broke their kiss. Logan was confused for a second until he turned to see what Rogue was looking at, and instantly turned red when he saw Kitty Pride.
Kitty just looked at them, and then started to grin, which quickly turned into a large smile and a giggling fit. Logan just closed his eyes and groaned as Kitty continued her giggling fit.
"I knew it! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! I knew you two were going to hook up, I knew it!" Kitty said as she continued to giggle like crazy.
"You don't say a word ta no one!" Rogue said in a very low voice.
"And what if I don't?" Kitty said, enjoying the fact she had some good blackmail material on her roommate.
"Or I tell Scott who 'borrowed' his car for an all night date with a certain mutant that causes earthquakes." Logan said, matching Kitty's threat as her eyes bugged out of her head!
"You – wouldn't – DARE!" Kitty said in half shock and half anger.
"Ah got to hear about this." Rogue said with a smile.
"You see, a week before I got here," Logan started.
"You tell, and I go tell everyone you were sucking face!" Kitty threatened.
Logan looked at Rogue with a very wicked grin starting to form on his face.
"Rogue, what do you think?" Logan asked her.
"Get her on the count of three?" she asked him.
"3!" Logan said as both bolted off the bed after her.
They chased her all the way to the bathroom, only for her to close and lock the door behind her and not let her two chasers in.
"That little brat!" Rogue said in frustration.
"Grab my hand." Logan told her.
Rogue could see he was wearing his smirk as he held out his hand. She knew he was planning something sneaky, but couldn't tell what. She took his hand, and Logan took her through the wall of the room right next to the bathroom.
Kitty was sitting on the edge of the bath tub, laughing up a storm. She couldn't get over how she had spotted those two in the bedroom. She didn't know if Rogue would ever take her advice. She also didn't know she would have taken it like that! At least she thought Rogue took her advice.
"Who cares? Those two finally hooked up, and I knew it! Maybe I should start a dating service." Kitty thought to herself as she started to giggle again, unaware of the two faces in the wall behind her that had been spying on her.
Rogue and Logan pulled back and Rogue was starting to fume a little.
"I bet she thinks she's the one that set us up. How can you still do that?" she asked him.
"Most of the abilities I take disappear after awhile, but I still retain a small amount, but it takes a lot of concentration. Hey, have you ever seen The Fog?" Logan asked her.
"I saw the re-make." She told him.
"Good enough. I'll phase you through the wall, and hide behind the shower curtain. I'm going to teach Kitty a little lesson when threatening a mutant with claws." Logan said.
Kitty was done with her giggle fits and decided to cool off. She turned the faucet on and looked in the mirror. She didn't know she had been laughing so hard that it had caused tears. She let out a small groan as she saw part of her make up had been smeared by the few tears of laughter. She reached her hands under the faucet to splash her face, but jerked them away when she felt steaming hot water burn her hands. She could have sworn she had turned on the cold water. She made her adjustment and lightly splashed her face. She put the plug in the sink to fill it in case she needed to wash any other parts of her make up.
Once the sink was filled she turned off the water and got a rag. As she began washing off her eye make up, she heard the faucet turn on. It was the hot water again. This was starting to creep her out a little. She turned off the faucet, but also saw the water in the sink start going down the drain.
"How did the plug come out?" she asked herself. She reached into the sink to put the plug back in.
That's when a hand came out of the sink, grabbed Kitty by the wrist, and tried to yank it through the sink! Kitty screamed in terror as she tried to jerk away from the hand in the sink! The hand finally let go and disappeared back into the sink as Kitty backed away in fear. She was near the tub when she heard the curtain move. She turned just as the curtain tried to grab her! She backed away screaming again, until she saw Rogue pop her head out from behind the curtain.
"Got ya good, didn't we?" Rogue asked her.
"We?" Kitty asked.
"Yeah, we." Logan said as he phased through the wall and the bathroom sink.
Kitty looked to Rogue, then to Logan, then back to Rogue in total confusion.
"How? It was you? But how can you still? I mean? You – YOU BOTH ARE SO MEAN!" Kitty shouted as she unlocked the bathroom and left the bathroom.
Both Logan laughed as Kitty left. They didn't care what she said, the look on her face was priceless. As they both stopped laughing, Rogue wrapped her arms around the broad shouldered young man that was with her.
"Logan, can I ask you something?" she asked him.
"Sure." He said.
"Do you really want to be with me? And not just because we can touch each other?" she asked him.
Logan placed his arms around her slender waists and leaned his forehead against her as he looked into her beautiful eyes.
"I've wanted to be with you since the first time I saw you. Now what were we doing before the Kitty Cat walked in on us?" Logan asked her.
"I think we were right about here." Rogue said as she pressed her soft lips against his.
"I think I might like having a girlfriend." Logan said as they broke the kiss.
"You better like it, Rough Neck." She said and kissed again.
Outside, Wolverine was grinning like a cat that ate the canary as he looked at the new couple. He came to see what Kitty had been complaining about, and walked in on them. He just started walking down the hall to give them some privacy.
"He's definitely my son." Logan said with a grin.
In downtown New York City, a man wearing an over sized trench coat had been walking for quite a while. He was tired, hungry, but didn't have time to do anything about it. He had to find an old friend of his for help. The man wasn't that tall, maybe around five feet. He was skinny underneath the coat, his face looked like it hadn't had the grace of a shave in a while, and his short brown hair looked like it hadn't been cleaned for days. He was recently in an accident and had been infected with something. If he had any hope of a cure, it would be with his friend Hank McCoy.
As he walked, he heard the low rumble of thunder quickly approaching, and saw part of the tall buildings become illuminated by a flash of lightning. Before he could find any kind of shelter, rain began to pour down on top of him.
"Why am I not surprised? YOU GOT ANYTHING ELSE, GOD?" the man shouted into the air.
When louder clap of thunder rattled the windows of the city, the man decided it was time to find some shelter. He walked two more blocks, and noticed that an alley had some cover from the falling rain. Without thinking twice, he ran into the alley to keep himself dry, and cursing himself for not getting a pair of shoes as he scrapped his foot against a busted bottle. He sat down and checked his foot. No blood, but it was a clean cut.
"Yo, dude! You got a light?" a voice called from the end of the alley.
The man looked up and saw about three men making their way towards him.
"Sorry, I don't have anything except the shirt on my back." He said, but that was a lie. All he had was the jacket and what was left of his jeans.
"Yeah, right." Another said.
As they got closer, he could see them more clearly. It looked like the clothes they wore were certain colors, certain designs. They might be gang members. The last thing he needed was trouble.
"I'm serious, I don't have anything. I don't even know where I am." He told them.
"You in hell now, boy." Another said.
Bruce could see two were armed with knives while the one in the middle had an aluminum baseball bat.
"Come on guys, I was just looking for a place to wait the rain out." He said as he got to his feet.
"Who said you could stand up?" the punk with the bat asked as he slammed it against the man's knees.
It felt like he might have broken something as he groaned in pain. He didn't have time to recover. One of them kicked him in the gut and he found his left side slamming into cold and wet concrete.
"This is our turf, bitch! You want to walk through here, you pay us first!" one of them said before they planted a boot into the man's gut again.
The man groaned in pain as he gritted his teeth, and popped his neck with a loud crack.
"You're making angry." The man said through the pain.
"Who gives a shit?" the punk asked.
He tried to kick the man again, only for the man to catch his leg before the punk's foot could make contact. The small man started to squeeze, and the punk started to shout in pain as it felt like his leg was breaking in the man's grip!
"You don't want to see me," the man growled. "when I'm angry!"
The man looked up at the punks, and all of their blood ran cold as they saw the man's eyes turn into an almost neon green. With a twist of the small man's wrist, he snapped the punk's leg at the knee and threw him against the wall! As the small man stood, the other two conscious punks could hear bones pooping or snapping as the man began to grow more broad shouldered, and taller. The two could also almost swear that he was turning a shade of green as he began to grow in size.
"Smash." The man growled.