Disclaimer: Repeat after me. I… don't… own… X-men…
Evolution.
Enjoy the story. And, if you do, and you decide to
review, I certainly won't stop you. (Hint hint)
After going back and forth from the garage about ten times carrying bags of clothing, it occurred to me that I had been wearing the same thing for the past four days ago. So, I grabbed some clothes, laid them out, and went to take another shower.
Forty-five minutes later, I was dry and clean, when it occurred to me that I had left my clothing on the bed, and that my bedroom door was standing open. I cursed, grabbed a towel, and went out to get them.
Rogue was in my room.
She spun around when I came out of the bathroom. Now, you have to remember that I was wearing nothing but a towel. We were both shocked.
"Leo!" she said breathlessly, "Ah… ah've been looking for ya everywhere. Ah…" She trailed off. Then she whimpered, "Ah… ah'm sorry, Leo," before running out of the room.
Why would she run out?
Unless… could she have a crush on me? Oh, that was bad.
The answer came in the form of one of those little voices
that speaks the truth that no one wants to listen to. Would that be so bad?
"Yes! A friend having a crush on me just makes things difficult!"
Oh, really. What about when you were comforting her last night? I'll bet you weren't thinking of her as a "friend" then.
"I… shut up."
Evan, as luck would have it, had been walking down the hall when Rogue ran out. He leaned into my doorway.
"What's up with Rogue?" he asked, before he, too, realized I was wearing a towel and nothing else. I was getting a little fed up.
"OUT!"
"But what…"
"I SAID OUT!"
Evan got out. I slammed the door behind him, got dressed quickly, and prepared to search the mansion for Logan.
Now, I was sure that most of the students considered the professor their father, and I did have lots of respect for him in that area. But Logan and I had clicked right away. He was surprisingly easy to talk to, considering that the other students thought of him as quiet and detached. I didn't exactly think of him as a father figure, but I was getting pretty damn near to it.
Anyway, I had no idea what was going on. Well, that's not totally true…
"I do believe Rogue wants more than friendship. And are
you really sure you would mind that yourself?"
"Shut up." I muttered. Kurt just happened to be passing me in the hall I was in.
"But I didn't even say anyzing!"
"I wasn't talking to you, Kurt."
"Ja? Then vho vere you talking to?"
I didn't want to get into it with Kurt, not right then. I hurried passed him.
I glanced at my watch. Three thirty. Perfect. Logan was probably in the Danger room, finishing up his session in there. For a second I wondered why I knew, but shook it off. I had probably just heard him mention it to someone else.
Logan was, as I had thought, in the Danger Room, talking to the professor about how well he had done. Both looked up as I entered.
"Logan, can I talk to you later?" I said quickly, before I could lose my nerve.
Logan shrugged. "Sure, Junior. Garage at five?"
"I'll be there."
I took off, glad it had been that simple.
After that, though, I had no idea what to do with myself. In desperation, I went to the rec room, lied on a couch, and stared at the ceiling.
I was so preoccupied, I didn't notice that Kitty was there.
"Is there, like, something wrong, Leo?"
I sat up quickly. "N-no, nothing."
She looked concerned as she walked over to where I was sitting… and put a hand on my knee. I almost died of a heart attack.
"Are you sure?" she asked quietly.
What could I say? I could imagine that conversation. No. I am not sure of anything right now. I am having trouble breathing because your hand is on my knee, but fifteen minutes ago I had just realized that Rogue had a crush on me, and I might well have one on her.
"I'm just fine," I said desperately. Suddenly it occurred to me that Rogue was not looking for me for that reason, which meant I'd have to go talk to her to find out what she had needed. Damn. Damn damn damn damn damn.
"I… I have to take care of something." I ran like hell.
A few minutes later, I was standing outside Rogue's bedroom door, trying to get the nerve to knock. Finally, I did.
"Hang on. Ah'm comin'," came from inside the room. I had to resist bolting.
Rogue opened the door to her bedroom and was surprised to see me. She blushed. "What do ya need, Leo?"
"Er, why were you in my room when… you… left. Why were you looking for me?"
"The professor asked me to tell ya that you start school a week from Monday."
"Oh. Thanks." She turned to go back into her room, but she stopped me. "Leo, Ah… Ah'm sorry about that. Ah don't know what came over me." She stepped back slightly. "Ya wanna come in."
I hesitated, then stepped in.
We sat awkwardly next to one another for a few minutes, until finally I started. "Is this just a little thing, or is this bigger?"
Rogue shrugged. "Ah don't know."
"So, lets not make a big deal about this, until we know what's going on."
"Yeah. That sounds like a good idea. Ah… Ah need to be alone right now. Still friends?"
"Of course." I glanced into her eyes, and was caught instantly. She had such nice eyes…
"Whoa!" I pulled back. "I… really have to go."
I hurried from Rogue's room. It was Jean's turn to be nearly run over. Her eyebrow rose, but she didn't comment.
I checked my watch as I ran, hoping I would have an excuse to go to the garage and avoid all members of the opposite sex for a while. No such luck. It was only four. I considered trying to find someone to talk to and totally forget what was going on at the moment. But, well, Kitty and Rogue were right out, Kurt hated me at the moment, and Jean and Evan, while not quite sure what was going on, would undoubtedly ask.
So, in desperation, I went to the garage and started to fiddle with the Harlaha. I polished, tuned, and studied the thing, but no matter what I did, I couldn't get my mind off Kitty and Rogue.
Finally, Logan showed up. "Bit early, ain't ya, Junior?"
I jumped. "I just had to get out of the mansion."
"Yeah, well, there's a reason I asked you to meet out here." He handed me a short hookup. "For the transmission."
I stared at it. "Logan, you're a saint."
"Yeah, well, don't be tellin' anyone. I got a reputation to protect. Now what did you want to talk about?" He sniffed and smiled. "This have anything ta do with Rogue's 'nightmares'?"
I blushed. Then I told him the whole story.
"…And I really think Rogue is more of a has a crush on me. And I don't know how I feel about her. But I still have a crush on Kitty. And I don't have any idea what to do about it!"
I trailed off and gave him a desperate look. He smirked.
"How do you feel about her?"
"Like I said, I don't know. I used to think of her as a good friend, but now…"
"It's hard to help someone with things like this." He looked thoughtful. "My advice would be to avoid being around either of them alone until you've figured out your feelings. Rogue'll understand, and Kitty will get over it. If you can't seem to avoid them, come get me, and I'll give you safe haven for a while."
I gave a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Logan."
That was a major turning point for my life at the mansion.
That was the first time I actually thought of Logan as a father.