Terri's Peep Hut ~~ Fiction Archive

Title: Another Night Out

E-mail: xgrrl26@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: They're not mine, and I wish Wagner's was. It's a small, local bar/restaurant and they really do have kick-ass ribs.

Archive: Ask, and I will gladly provide.

Feedback: Please? Pretty please? Good, bad, and ugly

Summary: Sequel to Night Out. Logan and Rogue avoid a weekend of Muties-in-the-woods and set the kitchen on fire then decide to get married. Did I mention this was a foofy one?

Comments: The first story was done as an answer to a challenge on UnfitForSociety at YahooGroups-character A tells character B that character C was injured, in 250 words or less. Those of you who know me will not be surprised to find out that I exceeded the word limit ;) Anyway, Keli asked for another fic-a sequel that's no more than seven pages long. It turned out to be eight. Sigh. I just can't get it together, can I?

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"You are such a baby."

"Am not." Just 'cause I don't wanna take a buncha teenage mutants out into the woods to camp for the weekend don't mean I am.

"Are too." But it sure is cute when she teases me like that.

"Am not. I ain't gonna spend my weekend out in the woods with Scooter."

"But I thought you liked the outdoors. I thought it was your natural habitat."

"Kid, if Scooter and me and a buncha those annoyin'-ass kids went inta the woods together, trust me, not too many of 'em would be comin' back out." I got a low tolerance for kids and an even lower one for Scooter. "Besides - you're not goin', you're stayin' here."

"Well, only because I got grounded for that little fight Jubes and I got into at the bar last week."

"I thought you didn't have anythin' to do with that." She better not have been hidin' things from me. I don't think she would, but -

"Well, no, not with the actual, technical fight, but I failed to rat out which one of us started the whole thing or whose idea it was to go into the bar or tell how we got the fake IDs or - "

"I get the picture. But Jubilee and the rest of the little bastards are goin'. They ain't grounded."

"Well, they didn't tell either, but they wrote letters of apology to the Professor for breaking his trust and taking advantage of the freedom he gives us and - well, you get the picture. I didn't write one."

"Because it wouldn't be true - I didn't do those things. I don't feel like I broke his trust or anything like that. I didn't do anything wrong."

'And so - what? You're grounded until you write one?" That wouldn't be all bad, 'cause it'd keep her right where I can see her insteada out runnin' around with her little friends. Insteada out with 'Remy' and 'Bobby' and whoever else has been tryin' to get inta her pants. Assholes. Gotta remember to scare 'em offa her some more.

"Basically, yes. But I'm sure I'll cave eventually. I can't stand sitting around here all the time." Yeah, I know that look on her face. I get to feelin' the same way - gotta get out. Cabin fever. "So it looks like it's just you and me this weekend, then - everybody's going camping with Scott and 'Ro and Hank and Jean and the Professor are at that medical conference. Just you and me." Now, that look on her face usually means trouble.

"You're up to somethin'."

"Are too." Two can play at the teasin' game. "What're you plannin' in that pretty little head of yours?"

"Oh, nothing." Oh no, it's certainly somethin'. "Just some quality time for you and me. You know, unless you want to change your mind on the camping thing."

"No." I mean come on-why would I go somewhere she wasn't? "What'd you have in mind?"

"You know, just the usual things - maybe we could paint each other's toenails, do each other's hair, talk about boys, that kind of thing."

"Be serious, Marie." Although, maybe I could get her to spill about whether any of those other little mutie boys are makin' any moves on her

"What? I'm serious. I think your toenails would look very nice painted. Maybe pink." She couldn't even keep from laughin' durin' that.

"The color pink is never gettin' within a hundred feet of me. Now what did you wanna do? Seriously."

"Actually, whatever you feel like is fine. I just thought it'd be nice for us to, you know, spend the whole weekend together, doing stuff. Whatever you feel like doing's fine by me." She looks almost shy askin' that, like I might not wanna or somethin'. Oh-oh - she caught me catchin' her shy look. "You can be Julie the Cruise Director for the weekend."

"Julie the what?" I got distracted there for a second when she rolled her eyes up and to the side and started teasin' again.

"Didn't you ever watch old reruns of the Love Boat? Julie was the cruise director, you know, the one that planned all the activities." Sometimes, when we're sittin' next to each other, I noticed that she sways toward me when she's not payin' attention. "We'll do whatever you plan, OK? But you have to come up with the itinerary." And then she notices how close she is to me and blushes and sways back the other way.

"OK. I can do that. First thing - I'm hungry. How about you cook me up some dinner?"

"You're taking your life into your hands there, big guy." She raises that one eyebrow just like I do mine. Heh.

"I got the healin' factor. I ain't worried." That got a little smile outta her. "Besides, I'll help. I'll, uh, pick what food for you to cook."

"Let me guess - it's going to be meat, right?"

"You're never going to ask me too cook again, are you?"

"You set the kitchen on fire, Marie." Good thing Scooter's anal enough to actually keep a fire extinguisher within arm's reach of the stove.

"Oh, I just set the stove on fire, not the whole kitchen. And you put it out right away." Not too much left of our dinner there that ain't black and covered in foamy chemicals.

"You burned the steak. Those were some damn nice steaks."

"Well.sorry." Wincin' a little there, not teasin' anymore. "I really didn't mean to." Now I made her unhappy or somethin'. I just - I just dunno how to act around her sometimes. I'm not usedta havin' somebody give a shit what I say or do and I'm not usedta it matterin' to me what other people do either. But she matters to me. And that's - I just dunno what to do when I don't do the right shit, you know?

"I know. And it don't really matter. I mean - fire's out."

"Yeah." Now she's *really* not happy. Fuck. "You know, I was just kidding about all that - you being Julie this weekend and everything. You don't have to stick around. I'll just grab a peanut butter sandwich or something else I have no chance whatsoever of setting aflame and you can go out. Wagner's has good ribs, and they always have a special on Fridays." Smilin', but she's not feelin' that at all.

"Why don't we both go, huh?" That should cheer her back up. She usually likes goin' places with me.

"I'm grounded, remember?"

Now she's gonna get the raised eyebrow. "So?"

"So, I bet that my little kitchen flambé here is already going to net me some more 'special punishment time' and I'd like to leave the mansion before I'm sixty."

"Look, I know you're usually the responsible one and shit with the kids, but it's you and me this weekend, so live a little. Besides - grounded? Are you the same chick I picked up hitchhikin' through a foreign country?" Well, that was the right thing. It made her smile. A real one this time.

"Yeah, you're right. I'm getting punished for acting like an irresponsible teenager, so I might as well at least get a little irresponsible behavior in while I can."

"You were right. Good ribs."

"And they're not even covered in white foam chemical sauce." Heh. That was a good one. Her spirits are pickin' up.

"Next time, I'll cook. You, uh, you can make the coffee or get me a beer or somethin'."

"I think I can handle that." Gettin' ribs was a good idea - she took her gloves off to eat 'em and everythin'. I think she's really relaxin'. "But I meant what I said. I mean, before, about you being Julie - I don't want to make you feel like you have to hang out or plan things."

"Look, Marie - " This always happens when I gotta say somethin' a little - I dunno, stuff that I don't usually wanna say. It never comes out right and sometimes not at all. "I like to keep ya where I can see ya, you know?" Truth is, I don't go out that much when she's home. I don't like her goin' places without me, but I know she's gotta do some stuff herself, she wantsta hang out with her friends without me hoverin' over 'em. I don't like it, though.

"Yeah, I know." And I think she does, at least a little. When I left I was all set to just go, just get out, ya know? I mean, I woulda been back, no question, but I kinda knew that she wanted to stay and kinda, in a way, wanted me to give her some space. She liked bein' around other kids her age, mutants like her, and she wanted a home - wanted to put her feet down somewhere for a while. If I'd have asked her to go along, she mighta said yes, but that's not what she really wanted, really needed, then. When she caught me goin' and came out, as soon as I saw her-well, that was one of those times I didn't know what to say. But she said it exactly right - "I don't want you to go." Not - "Stay," 'cause she knew I couldn't. Not - "Take me with you," 'cause she knew she couldn't. But I needed to know, and she needed to tell me, that she didn't *want* us to be apart like that. Maybe that's a little bit like what she needs to hear now.

"And you and me-we haven't really been doin' much together since I got back. So this weekend'll be nice." Oh, God, I sound like such a pansy-ass sayin' that. Nice. Since when do I ever say things'll be 'nice' out loud? I've gotta figure out a way to get this shit across to her but still sound manly.

"You really think we don't do much together? Because we kind of do-I mean, we always have breakfast together, and usually dinner, and we usually, you know, hang out in the afternoon or evening if we're both around, which we usually are." She's got the Marie-think-indicators goin'-eyebrows knitted together, lips bunched together, little crinkle in her forehead. "I was thinking that maybe, you know, I was taking up too much time in your schedule."

"Schedule? I don't have a schedule. I mean, yeah, I work out and whatever when you're in class, but-well, you know." That's just 'cause she *is* in class and I know where she is even if she's not in sight and I know she's probably gonna be OK there, so-work out time. "It's not a schedule, it's just somethin' to do." Uh, that was the wrong thing to say somehow 'cause she's puttin' her food down and lookin' at me all serious. "What?"

"Can I ask you something? Will you just-can you just give me a straight answer if I ask you a delicate question?" Not she's got the Marie-serious-thinkin'-indicators goin'. Eyes all glowy and lookin' right atcha.

"What do you want to do with me?"

"I mean, we *do* spend a lot of time together, we *do* do almost everything together, but you don't think it's too much." Whoa-I had no idea she was mad about me wantin' to be around all the time. In fact, I kinda thought she liked it and-"No, no, I don't think it's too much either, that's not it. I'm just saying that-is that all there is to it? Is it just that you want to protect me and make sure I'm OK? Which, believe me, I have no objection to whatsoever. It's been working out pretty well for me so far, frankly. But is there-I guess I'm asking is that what you want our relationship to be like-you protect me, and that's it-or is there something else you'd like to do with me?"

Shit. Shit. I don't have a good answer for that. I mean, I do, but I have no idea how to get it out right. Fuck. Well, I gotta say somethin' 'cause she's just lookin' at me, waitin'. "I want you to do stuff too. I mean, I want you to make me have fun and make me happy."

"So in exchange for you protecting me, I'm supposed to make you happy?"

"Yeah, but-but it's not like a trade. It's more like-you're around and that just happens. If I-I can make you feel safe, right?" Noddin'. That's good, that's progress. "And that makes you feel OK to act weird and silly and have a good time, don't it?" A smile, that's even better. "So that happens and then I'm happy about it. And can we stop talkin' about this now and go back to just eatin'?" 'Cause that's really the limit of my ability to carry on this kinda conversation. Ribs. I need more meat in my system to compensate for all this sharin'. Yeah, more meat.

"We can go back to eating after I say one more thing. Do you realize we have a relationship?"

"Well, yeah." What am I? Dense or somethin'?

"And that's what you want to have?"

"It's a commitment, though. I mean, I'm assuming you're going to be around, well, basically always, and that we're going to continue to spend most of our time with each other and that you're going to *want* that to be the case. It means that this is the primary relationship for each of us and that's a big commitment." She's almost leanin' the whole way across the table now, she's really hangin' on what I'm sayin' here.

"I know that. I'm assumin' that too-on your part. You and me-that's the primary relationship right there and that's how I'm gonna act and how you're gonna act." Hang on a second here-maybe she's not on board with all that like I thought. She looks pretty damn surprised right now. "Uh, right?"

"Right." Real soft, still shocked. Fuck. Somethin' went wrong somewhere. "Logan-thanks for telling me all that." Or not. You know, sometimes I wish I had her in my head like she has me.

"Mph. Can we eat now?"

"You can. I want to tell you you're amazing and I'm really glad we're spending this weekend together. And that, you know, I love you a lot." Now, that's not the first time she's said that and I usually just hug her or say 'me too,' but this time is different somehow. She means somethin' different by it, I think.

"Hey-you know I'm not gonna-I, uh, yeah-it's the primary relationship and everythin', but I'm gonna just do what I've been doin' as far as the you and me thing is concerned. I'm not gonna make any moves right away or nothin'. You're still in school, and I'm not an asshole."

"No, you're definitely not. But I'll be done with school in a month. And then-well, then I'm kind of thinking that the you and me thing will change."

"Yeah. We're gettin' the hell outta Westchester, for one." That surprised her. But not in a bad way, I don't think. "And, uh, we probably oughta think about makin' it legal and all soon after. I was thinkin' at the Falls maybe, it's not too far from here and you could pick whether you wanted to do it on the Canadian side or American side."

"Wait-wait-did you just propose to me?"

"Well, shit, what'dya think I was gonna do? Shack up with ya or somethin'?" Hey-hang on-I don't think she's breathin'. "Marie?"

"You had this whole plan in mind and you-you never said a word. I thought-I thought I was bothering you or something, hanging around all the time, and I had no idea-"

"Botherin' me? What the hell did I do to give you that impression?" Musta been when I said I didn't wanna take her shoppin' 'cause I wanted to fix the truck. Or the time I called but hadta get off the phone real fast 'cause some dickhead was casin' Scooter's bike. Or maybe that one time I said for her to not come in my room 'cause I'd been havin' some, uh, private activity goin' on. But if she'd have come in and caught me smellin' one of the shirts she left in the room while I was-

"Nothing. Not one single thing. You know, now that I think about it, I have no idea why I thought that. None. You've been nothing but great to me, every single minute that I've known you. And, yes."

"Yes to the proposal. And you can pick which side." Heh. That. Shoulda known she'd like hearin' that, maybe shoulda told her sooner that she's marryin' me. Yeah, she likes that idea a lot-the Marie-happiness-indicators are high. Big smile, good smell, lotsa color on her face. Yep. That's one happy Marie right there.

"Canadian side. That's my side and you're, uh, gonna be mine then, so-the Canadian side."

"Good." Biggest smile I've seen on her yet.

"Hey - you haven't hardly touched your food. You gonna finish those?" 'Cause I finished mine and I'm still hungry. If she don't want 'em, I'll take 'em.

"Here. Take half. I've been distracted by the deep conversation." Teasin' again. That's the sure sign of a happy Marie.

"Yeah, well, you know me, kid, I'm all about deep talkin'." Although I guess it ain't really that unusual when it's somethin' involvin' Marie. I do lotsa unusual things when it comes to her, definitely.