Chapter Five: Embers in the Ashes

The silence that followed the woman's declaration was electric, charged with tension and the faint hum of the device in her hand. The mercenaries stood like statues, their weapons lowered but ready. Logan stood his ground, claws extended, his body coiled to strike. Rogue, catching her breath, wiped the dust from her cheek and slowly stepped up to stand beside him.

"Logan," she whispered, her voice low and urgent. "There's a time to be stubborn and a time to be smart. You sure you wanna draw that line tonight?"

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, the hard edge of his expression softening just slightly. "Wouldn't be me if I didn't, darlin'."

The woman with the green eyes tilted her head, her smirk sharpening. "Touching. But your little tête-à-tête doesn't change anything. Hand it over, or—"

Before she could finish, Logan moved. A blur of muscle and claws, he lunged toward the leader. The mercenaries opened fire, but Rogue was faster, grabbing Logan's arm and pulling him back behind a splintered table. Bullets ricocheted around them as Rogue pressed close, her breath warm against his ear.

"Are you crazy?" she hissed.

Logan smirked, his teeth flashing. "You knew that already."

Rogue rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the flicker of a smile as she shook her head. "If you get yourself killed, I'm gonna be real mad, Logan."

"That makes two of us," he replied, his tone low and almost teasing.

Rogue's stomach flipped unexpectedly at the way he said her name, rough like gravel but warmer than she'd ever heard it. She shoved the feeling down, focusing instead on the chaos still erupting around them.

"Alright, Mr. Hero," she said, her voice steadier than she felt. "What's the plan?"

Logan peeked over the table, his sharp eyes scanning the room. "The kid's still behind the bar. We keep the fight away from him." He turned to her, his gaze locking onto hers with a sudden intensity. "You good?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Good enough to keep your reckless hide in one piece."

Logan let out a low chuckle, surprising her. "Guess I'll take that as a yes."

The moment between them lingered just a beat too long before Rogue cleared her throat and looked away. "Let's move before they turn this place into kindling."

A Strategic Retreat

The mercenaries advanced, tightening the noose around their cover. Logan sprang up, his claws flashing in the dim light, while Rogue ducked and wove through the chaos, her gloved hands making contact with anyone foolish enough to get close. Each touch left her opponents crumpled and unconscious, their strength drained.

"Rogue!" Logan called, his voice cutting through the noise. She turned just in time to see him throw a chair at an advancing mercenary, buying her enough time to dodge another attacker.

"Don't think that counts as savin' me," she called back, dodging a punch and delivering a swift kick to the soldier's stomach.

"Didn't think you needed it," he replied, his grin unmistakable.

When the mercenaries paused, regrouping behind their leader, Logan and Rogue took the opportunity to slip toward the bar. The boy cowered behind it, his eyes wide. Rogue knelt down beside him, brushing his hair from his face.

"You okay, sugar?" she asked softly.

The boy nodded, though his small hands trembled.

"Stay close to us," Logan ordered. "We're gettin' outta here."

But before they could make a move, the woman with the green eyes stepped forward again, the glowing device now pulsing faster. She raised her voice over the wreckage.

"Enough running, Logan. This doesn't have to end in blood. Give me what I came for, and I'll let the girl and the boy walk away."

Logan bared his teeth, the growl rumbling in his chest. "You know I don't believe you."

The woman sighed theatrically, shaking her head. "Such a waste of loyalty. Do you ever wonder, Rogue, what you're really fighting for here?"

Rogue stood, her chin tilted defiantly. "I know exactly what I'm fightin' for. And it ain't for you."

The woman's smile faltered, but only for a moment. "Suit yourself." She motioned to her team, and the mercenaries began to close in.

Logan leaned in close to Rogue, his voice low and rough against her ear. "You trust me?"

She glanced at him, startled by the proximity. "Do I have a choice?"

"Not really," he admitted, a flicker of a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Despite the tension, Rogue felt the corner of her own mouth twitch upward. "Fine. Just don't get us both killed, y'hear?"

Logan's hand briefly brushed hers as he turned. "Stay close. And Rogue?"

"What?"

"You're somethin' else, darlin'," he said, his voice softer than she expected.

Before she could process the warmth creeping into her chest, Logan surged forward, slamming into the mercenaries with feral precision. Rogue followed, her mind a whirlwind, but her movements steady and sure as she fought by his side.

A Spark in the Chaos

In the midst of the battle, Logan caught Rogue's eye, a fleeting moment of shared understanding passing between them. It wasn't just about survival anymore. It was about trust, about something unspoken forming between them in the heat of danger.

"Logan!" Rogue called, throwing a mercenary into another. "You'd better not be enjoyin' this."

Logan slashed through the last soldier standing, flashing her a grin as he stood amidst the wreckage. "Maybe just a little."

The woman with the green eyes hissed in frustration as her team lay defeated around her. "This isn't over," she snarled, clutching the device to her chest.

Logan stepped forward, his claws gleaming, but she was already retreating, disappearing into the smoke.

Rogue leaned against the bar, catching her breath as the boy ran to her side. Logan approached, his gaze softening as he looked at her.

"Y'know," she said, brushing a lock of hair from her face, "you're not half bad in a fight."

"Back atcha, darlin'," Logan replied, his voice low.

The way he looked at her sent an unfamiliar warmth spreading through her chest. For the first time that night, Rogue let herself smile—a real smile.

"Don't get used to it," she said, but there was no bite in her tone.

Logan chuckled, shaking his head. "Wouldn't dream of it."

For a moment, amidst the wreckage, the tension eased. But both of them knew it wouldn't last.