Celebration

Marie almost couldn't believe it. She had done it. Graduated. While it may not seem like much to some, it was a big deal to her. When she had left home so young, it was another dream she thought she'd never see come true. She unrolled the diploma and traced the fancy writing with a gloved fingertip. The next time she went shopping with Jubes she would have to get a frame. She wanted this displayed as a reminder that even when things seem impossible, some dreams could still come true.

On one hand, she was happy that school was over. She knew that Logan would be pleased too; not just for her accomplishment, but also that his girl wasn't in high school anymore. He had never said anything about it, but she knew it bothered him because it was an unmistakable reminder of her youth. Although she was glad about that part, she was sad too. Most of her friends would be leaving for college at the end of the summer.

While she didn't hold it against them that they were leaving, it was still hard to deal with. She was excited for her friends, knowing that for them, college would be an exciting adventure, but sad too because she wouldn't be joining them. She had opted to take correspondence courses because of her gift. There was a silver lining to that cloud though because she would still get to be near Logan.

Marie sighed softly as she walked down the hall to her room. It was unusually quiet this afternoon because almost everyone had gone into the city for the graduation party the professor was giving. Marie had chosen to stay behind, despite the shameless urging of her friends. It wasn't that she didn't feel like celebrating with everyone, but she didn't like crowds. They were too unpredictable and the last thing she wanted was to suck the life out of someone who got a little crazy and accidentally touched her. She hated the idea of hurting people and her head was full enough already.

She opened the door to her room and smiled as she remembered how Logan's eyes had rested on her through most of the graduation ceremony. In typical Logan style, he had come up to her after it was over and had given her a hug, the only one she'd gotten all day. Marie laughed to herself.

The Wolverine always did like to live dangerously.

Logan had looked her over in her cap and gown and flashed her a grin.

"I always did like ya in black, darlin'," he'd said.

Anything black as long as it wasn't that damned uniform. He really didn't like the idea of her wearing that black, but he had his own little fantasy cache of thoughts about Marie wearing black. At the top of the list was her long, black opera gloves. His favorites. Just watching her slip those on and stroking the fit right over her milky skin was enough to make his skin prickle hotly with anticipation.

Her eyes danced as she leaned in and whispered that she was wearing a few black items underneath the gown too.

"Satin?" The word was barely a whisper; smoke and longing and a hint of real heat.

He shouldn't have risen to her bait, but sometimes it was just too hard to rein it all the way in. Especially like this when she was deliberately playful. They were surrounded by a sea of people. She only ever teased him like that in public, when it was safe.

She shook her head and traced the word LACE into his palm with her gloved fingertip.

Oh, Christ.

He'd be able to see her nipples underneath. Now the fantasy image had black satin gloves and lace lingerie. He closed his eyes to better picture the image. A lacy black corset. Black silk stockings with that sexy line up the back. No panties.

Yeah. Fuckyeah.

Definitely no panties. And- and a scarf. Something sheer so he could kiss her, and thin enough that he could taste her through it right away.

His eyes were still closed. To anyone else he probably looked bored out of his mind. Marie knew better. It made her feel pretty. Confident. Strong.

His eyes opened.

"Welcome back."

He chuffed softly. "Helluva trip, kid."

"Tell me about it sometime?"

"Sure. November."

Marie rolled her eyes but before she could answer, Jubes and Kitty had pulled her away for pictures. By the time they had finished, Logan was gone. Crowds weren't really his thing either.

Unless he's fighting in front of one.

Marie was still laughing quietly under her breath as she made her exit. She closed her door and went to put the diploma on her desk before hanging up her cap and gown, revealing a pretty green wrap dress underneath. That job done, she turned around and noticed a single white rose lying on her pillow. She smiled and picked it up. She held it to her nose, breathing in the sweet scent before running it down over her cheek and lips. Nobody would believe that Logan's gruff exterior could conceal such a soft heart. She was amazed and humbled that he would choose to share such a vulnerable side of himself considering all he had been through.

As Marie was getting up to put the rose in water she noticed the corner of a wrapped package sticking out from under her pillow. She reached under and pulled it out. The wrapping was simple and a little crudely done. It made her chest feel warm that he'd cared enough to wrap it himself. There was a short note written in Logan's bold scrawl.

I'm real proud of you, kid.

Logan

Marie smiled as she unwrapped the gift. Nestled in the tissue was a beautiful silver frame. She ran her hands over the polished metal, feeling the cool solid weight of it in her hands, her eyes flaring as she found a Tiffany's stamp on the back. He really was something else. It made her heart glow. Logan had amazing taste, not that you'd know it from looking at him. The extravagance of the gift shocked her a little. She knew fighting was pretty lucrative, but still.

He certainly didn't advertise his wealth, but he'd been fighting a long time and some of those purses were pretty damn big. Marie laughed lightly thinking about his appearance. The truth was even though he probably had quite a bit stashed away by now, he liked living simply. It suited him. Still, it was always difficult for her to accept gifts from him. He hurt for them. He bled for them. Bought them with the pain of his body and the force of his will. She was touched that he knew how much the diploma meant to her and that she would want to frame it immediately. It was proof that even impossible dreams could come true.

Carefully, she removed the backing and placed the diploma in the exquisite frame. She put it on the shelf above her desk alongside the box of Logan's cigars. She was just sitting back on the bed to admire it when she heard a knock.

"It's open," she called.

Logan came in carrying a box wrapped in plain brown paper and smiling. "Hey, darlin'. What kinda name is Rogue?"

"The kind belonging to someone who never again has to take a freakin' Summers' bio final," she made a face and then laughed. "Thank you so much for the gift. It's beautiful. You shouldn't have," he just shook his head. "But I love it."

He looked a bit embarrassed. "Hey, I knew you'd wanna show off it off."

Marie pointed to the shelf and smiled. "I already have."

Logan grinned. "Don't waste any time do you, kid?"

"Not when I want something, no." It came out suggestively, as she'd meant it to be.

"Heh. Be good or I'll take back your other present…"

"Wicked!"

"Back atcha," he rumbled, handing her the box as she settled down. She looked beautiful in the green dress with her make-up done up nice for a special occasion. She was sophisticated and elegant. The dress was somewhere between kelly and forest. He liked it, even though it was always shocking to see her looking so mature. It made both the sable and the platinum of her hair stand out. "The other present was the serious one. This one's just for fun."

With the delight of someone who didn't receive many gifts, she savored opening the box. Inside was a black leather jacket with a Harley Davidson emblem on the back. It smelled divine. "Logan, you really shouldn't have! It's too much."

"I wanted to," he said simply. "Try it on."

"Wait."

"Wait?"

She was pulling her gloves off.

His brow rose.

"Yeah. This leather is gorgeous. I hafta feel it…" She was flushing a little under his curious gaze. "It smells so good. I really have to touch it first." His body tightened as he watched her stroke the leather before holding it to her face and rubbing it against her cheek. "Mmmm…."

The sensuality inherent in that gesture made him smile. She was such a tactile creature. With her sense of touch denied to her so often, she often relied on her other senses and he liked that a lot. He watched as she slid her arms into it, running her hands down the front and into the pockets. She looked at him questioningly as her hands encountered something inside. Marie pulled them out. He had tucked a wrist length black leather glove into each one. She slid them on over her bare hands. The leather was thin and buttery soft. Logan motioned for her to spin around.

Marie turned slowly in a circle.

"What do you think?" She asked.

"I always did like ya in black, darlin'." He grinned at her.

Lace. Satin. Leather. It's all good. God, Marie in black leather. A little focus here would be good.

The best part of all was her smile. He loved putting that soft look on her face. This afternoon it was also twined with lingering excitement and the joy of unexpected presents.

"Thank you, Logan. I love it."

She hugged him and pressed a tender kiss to his hairy jaw.

Nice. Now he felt all warm too.

"Thank me later, darlin,' right now we have some celebratin' to do. You look real pretty, baby, but get out of that get-up," he indicated to the soft wrap dress she had been wearing under her graduation gown. "And get into some jeans - if you're up for a ride that is." Logan's eyes were sparkling.

"A ride with you on the bike?"

He nodded.

Marie was surprised. In the past, he had always flatly refused her requests for a ride.

"I know you wanted to go to the party, kid," he said softly. "A ride's not as fancy as a party, but we can do a little celebratin' of our own and you won't have to worry about a crowd."

Marie opened her mouth to thank him but he cut her off. "I told you to thank me later, darlin'," he said stepping out the door so she could change. "Now get a move-on," he said chuckling from the other side of the door.

Marie laughed. That was her Logan. He didn't sugar coat it for anyone.

"I'm going, I'm going already." She called through the door as she hastily stripped. She pulled on her favorite old jeans and added a black belt and a white blouse with a 'V' in front that showed off the tags, among other things. She left the lacy black bra, urged on by some lingering glimmer of knowledge that told her he liked the trashy look. "Almost done," she said and she heard a grunt from his side of the door as she pulled on her black boots, the leather ones with the silver ring on the harness and the tire tread sole. She knew he liked those. She grabbed the jacket and pulled it on, sliding her hands into the new gloves as she opened the door. "Ready," she pronounced.

Logan whistled softly.

Get a grip, bub, eighteen is months away.

Having Marie on his bike, dressed like that, with her thighs around him was going to be tough on his control.

Tough, hell. It's gonna be straight-up murder.

But tonight was her night. He wanted to do something special for her and he would control himself if it killed him. He watched her walk down the hall in front of him, noticing the boots, the gentle sway of her hips, her amazing ass, and the way the jacket made her waist look so tiny.

Fuckin' perdition, right there.

As they passed through the gates of the school, Logan opened up the engine. Marie loved the feeling of freedom. The exhilaration; both from the acceleration and from being so close to his big body. The wind was in her hair and her arms were around Logan and the school was rapidly disappearing behind them. All good things. Marie was glad that he'd finally relented and let her go without a helmet. She closed her eyes, enjoying the wind on her face.

Back in the garage, Logan had handed her a helmet with a comment about her lack of an adamantium plated skull. Marie smiled remembering the argument.

"Please, Logan, this time I want to feel the wind in my hair - ride the way you do. Just this once I want to feel free." Marie could tell he was warring with himself, his desire to keep her safe at odds with his wish to give her what she really wanted.

Finally he had relented. He'd never been one to follow the rules.

Since when did I ever do the right thing anyway?

He figured if by some freak chance she did get hurt, he could always just touch her, allowing her to absorb his healing gift again.

"Just this once, kid."

She put the helmet down and hugged him impulsively. "Fair enough."

Both Marie and Logan were trying to just enjoy the ride and look at the scenery as it sped by. They were both trying to not think about the fact that her arms were wrapped around his middle and her legs were cradling his lean hips. It wasn't working. Marie's hands itched to slide up under his shirt and explore his warm skin and the muscles she could feel bunching and flexing under her fingertips as they rode. Her thighs tightened involuntarily around him.

Logan grunted, stopping the bike on the deserted strip of road. He planted his foot solidly in the gravel shoulder. Without the air rushing by, he could easily smell her arousal.

Christ. Why did I ever think I could do this?

"Marie," he warned without turning around.

"I'm trying," she said tartly, smiling at his broad back.

"Try harder," he growled as the bike roared back to life and resumed its course down the empty stretch of road. The engine purred beneath them as they climbed the curving mountain road.

Despite the gruff warning, her hands still wandered a little. He'd expected it. To be honest, he'd been looking forward to it. She wasn't shy about touching him. First it had been her hands around his waist, with her pressed up against his back to get a feel for finding her balance on the bike as they had accelerated and leaned into the curves. As she'd grown more comfortable, her tight grip on him had eased. He felt her fingers slip down his chest to brush his belly, moving lower as she relaxed until they brushed the buckle at the front of his pants.

It made him hard, but the pleasure was slow and easy.

Her hands slid to his hips. She was more confident now, of his skill on the bike and her own balance, and of his acceptance of her inquisitive touch. Her hands slipped to his thighs, moving lightly up and down. It wasn't enough to send him over the edge, but it was certainly enough to keep him hard.

He found his hands wandering a little too. Reaching back to stroke her thigh and press it tighter against him. Reaching behind him to press her closer. He put his hand on her ass and pulled her tight up against him. He left his hand on her thigh afterward. They road that way a long while. When she wrapped her hands back around his waist, he covered them with one of his own, feeling her feel him. The gentle exploration was something more than a touch between friends but something less than an overt come-on. It was gentle. Easy. Even if it did make their blood sing.

As sunset approached, Logan pulled off to the side of the road at one of those scenic lookout points. It was deserted and it seemed to have fallen into disrepair.

Marie got off the bike, laughing to him about her numb butt and followed Logan down a set of rickety stairs. At the bottom was a small platform built on the side of the cliff. It had a low stone half-wall around it and a plain concrete bench with decades of graffiti on it.

Logan stepped aside and in that moment, Marie knew why he had brought her here. Her breath caught in her throat. The view was spectacular. The sun was just setting, bathing the tree-covered valley below in a warm golden light. A small river sparkled at the bottom of the valley as it caught the rays of the setting sun. Marie thought it looked like a river of fire glowing from the shadows of the valley floor.

Logan sat back on the bench, propping one foot up on the stone wall. "It's no graduation party," he said quietly, "But I come here sometimes." He paused. "It's... peaceful. I thought you'd like it," he finished lamely.

Nice one, bub. She probably thinks it's borin'. Not too many people appreciate this kinda shit the way you do.

He felt like he could breathe here and he liked how it felt to be reminded he was just a small part of something much larger than himself. Nature took care of her own.

"It's breathtaking." Marie finally said, unable to look away from the view. "Thank you for sharing this place with me. It's beyond words."

He grabbed her gloved hand and pulled her down to sit in front of him on the bench. She sat almost in his lap but not quite; her back against his chest and his thighs around her hips as they watched the sunset in silence until the last rays of light had slipped below the horizon. He didn't let her hand go. Logan was glad she was the kind of girl who didn't feel the need to fill every silence with idle chatter. Somehow, he had always felt this place was too serene to be spoiled with too many words. He was pleased she felt the same. It felt good to share this place with her. They sat together in the twilight, touching each other's hands and watching as the last of the golden glow faded from the sky.

"You ready to go, darlin'?"

Marie didn't want to go but she knew they had to be getting back soon and there was always the added bonus of being able to wrap her arms around him as they rode.

"I'm ready," she said, slipping her gloved hand back into his as they stood and allowing him to lead her back to the bike. He got on first and she slid on behind him, wrapping her arms around his lean waist. He pressed her close. She leaned in, her mouth dangerously close to his ear, unwilling to disturb the peaceful quiet of this place and whispered, "Thank you, Logan. That was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"You're welcome, darlin'. Happy graduation."

Logan started the bike and headed back to the school. Marie watched the black road disappear under the wheels. With each mile she grew more confident. Somehow the future didn't seem quite as difficult as it had before. It was okay that her friends were leaving on their own adventures because she was heading home, to a future with Logan.