"You still owe me a conversation, darlin'." Enough time had passed now that the longer Logan and Marie waited, the more awkward it got.

"Cheese and rice!" Marie jumped and the book she was reading tumbled to the floor with a soft thump. "You tryin' to scare the life outta me?"

"Nah. Just like rilin' ya up." It made her eyes flash in a way that he particularly enjoyed— a compelling blend of wildness and playful retribution.

She stuck her tongue out at him and curled back up on the loveseat, instinctively inviting him to sit with an absent-minded pat as she tucked her feet back under her. That automatic response of hers always got to him. People generally didn't want him close, and if they did it was because they wanted something from him. A fight. A fuck. Sometimes both. Marie genuinely enjoyed his company and that was a rare thing, indeed.

As he sat, his weight dipped the cushions and he enjoyed the easy way she cozied up against his side. Her smile was warm and welcoming. He noted with satisfaction the soft rise and fall of her chest as she breathed in his scent and snuggled closer without realizing it. "What's up, sugar?"

"Just checkin' in. You haven't been down to the house in a coupla weeks." It was difficult to see, and feel, her pressed up against him without thinking about the intimate conversation he'd recently overheard between her and Jubilee. He tried, unsuccessfully, to put Marie's curiosity and longing to put her mouth on a man from his mind.

It didn't help that he'd read her stories. Now he not only knew what she fantasized about and what she liked; he also knew — in graphic detail — just how she liked it. Or rather how she imagined liking it. Logan couldn't help wondering how closely her fantasy would resemble reality, given the opportunity.

Maybe it was on her mind, too, and that's why she'd stayed away. He wasn't sure how he felt about that idea. She knew her scent gave away a lot. That had never kept her away before, but everything was different now. He was definitely on board with her thoughts about him heading in that general direction, but he didn't want that to keep her from coming to him.

Quite the opposite.

"I'm not avoiding you. I'm avoiding alcohol."

"Huh?" He wasn't following.

"I got very wasted with Jubes and Gambit. It'll be a while before I feel like tying one on again, sugar, and that conversation is definitely going to require that I have my drunk on, at least a little."

That made more sense. He'd been worried maybe her talk with Jubilee had stirred up something serious. He was glad it was just that.

"Fair enough." He stroked her hair softly. "Come by though and we'll have a different conversation. That ain't the only one I wanna have with ya. I miss ya, kid."

"Aww…"

"And I can't decide about the appliances - black or stainless," he added, just to shine her on a little.

She smacked his chest.

"You're hopeless," she mumbled as he tucked her into his side and wrapped his arm around her.

"I reckon so." Something in him settled as she put her head on his shoulder. It was intimate, but sweet rather than romantic. She craved touch and he liked giving her as much as he could get away with. "But what does that say about you, huh?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, you. You know what I mean." She did. It was his way of acknowledging he knew her writing was largely about him. For someone so 'hopeless', he'd sure inspired a lot of explicit stories.

"Well, nobody's ever accused me of havin' good taste, sugar. Especially in men."

He grunted in amusement.

"I like it just fine." A statement that was probably as close to open as the two of them had ever been regarding this particular subject. It wasn't quite an overture, but it wasn't exactly platonic, either.

Things were changing. With every day that passed, and every conversation they had, the lines they'd drawn in the sand were moved. Redrawn. Reshaped to reflect the No Man's Land they'd stumbled into. More than friends but not yet lovers. The words she'd written on a page didn't guarantee that happening. Sometimes fantasies were better left ephemeral.

Reading them had made Logan feel differently. He knew her in a way he didn't before. Not physically, but emotionally. Giving him that glimpse into her head was a big deal. Experiencing her intimate dreams and desires had changed him. The resulting orgasms had, too. Neither of those things could be undone. They had to find a new way forward.

"Yeah?"

"Yep." He gave her a little squeeze with the arm he had around her. "An' when you're ready, we needta talk about whatcha wrote."

"I know." There was a smile on her face but trepidation in her words and her brows had drawn together. Classic Marie-signs she was deep in thought.

"You don't gotta be scared, kid."

"I'm not. Just worried it'll screw this up." She sighed softly and melted into his side a little more.

"Nah. S'all good." He stroked her hair one last time and stood.

"Glad to hear it." Marie picked up her book from the floor as he turned to go.

He stopped at the door. "Whatcha did? That took some guts. S'good you took that bull by the horns." He couldn't. He'd resolved long ago not to push her into anything physical, even if parts of him were wild to possess her in ways most men couldn't even imagine. It had to be on her. "I'm glad ya did. Glad you wanted me to read that. Just don't be weird about it, huh?"

She smiled. "I'll try."

"Makes us more even."

"Even?"

"You got a lotta me up there from before." She had so much of him in her head. "Now I have somea you."

"Even," she whispered, understanding now.

"Even."

Even was a good, solid word. They couldn't go forward until they were even. It wouldn't work if they were unequal. The balance of power couldn't be weighted too heavily in his favor. It had been like that for a long time and it made him uncomfortable. Made him feel like he was taking advantage, even when he knew she wanted it. That was changing now. Slowly. And for as painful as it was, it was also a good thing. Heavy, but good.

In the wake of his departure, Marie felt the need to lighten the mood a little. Logan was already down the hall when she yelled through the wall, "Stainless!"

She knew he'd hear.

His answering chuckle told her she was right.

Up next: Appetite for Destruction. The return of Jubes (and her mouth). Jubilee has a peace offering. Marie has a fantasy. Logan has, uh, coffee... ;)