xmutanthigh | [closed thread] trouble in paradise

Entry tags:

[closed thread] trouble in paradise

Characters: Julian Keller, Rogue.
Setting: Outside Rogue's room.
Content: I wish I could accurately predict this scene's content.
Status: Incomplete.

[Julian didn't think he would be able to sleep at all the night before; yet he laid his head down and eventually drifted off for several hours. The sleep wasn't one that he would call a good rest: instead he opened his eyes against the harsh afternoon sun and felt like he hadn't rested at all.

After the briefing and talking to Emma about Rogue the other day, he had been sent to the med bay to tend to his wounds. The only mildly serious one had been from Longshot's blade, right across his chest - which had needed a few stitches. Absent Josh, Julian has sat through the ordeal of cleaning and dressing the wound; then promptly fell into bed after stopping by Rogue's room and finding her asleep.

Now, freshly showered, still sore, and noticeably exhausted, Julian stops in front of Rogue's door and knocks.]

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Yeah well, I must have missed the memo about it being that easy. Doesn't matter, I got the fucking lesson. [Her tone of voice, her words, all of it - they barely agitate him in his state. He merely responds with some venom, although not directed at her. He sniffs and pulls the hands from his face, only lingering to none-too-gently wipe his eyes. He's bent over his knees by now, facing away from her; he's been turning ever so slowly to hide his tears.]

[Rogue lets out an almost inaudible sigh and moves her hand from his back, retreating and wrapping her arms around herself. She looks down at the floor, trying not to shift uneasily as she tries to soften her tone.] I never said it was supposed to be easy, sugah.

[It's the lack of her touch that pulls the last bit of him from his numbing resentment, that quells its growing. Her response triggers something in him - something softer, more instinctive. It takes a moment to process, but he looks her way, lashes still wet, eyes full of quiet concern. After a moment, he shifts, sits back enough to raise his fingers to push back her hair.]

Have you?

[She doesn't say anything for a minute. It's a long minute before she finally looks up again, meeting his gaze with absolute honesty in her eyes.] I don't know. There've been a lot of close calls over the years especially when I first got my powers. I didn't know how to tell how much I'd taken from a person back then. All I know is that they all ended up getting pretty hurt.

But no. Never on purpose.

[He looks into her wide eyes her quietly, sees the helplessness and sadness and fear there, those emotions he's only seen hints of. The ones etched into her every move sometimes, in the way she recoils from a touch or glances away from a searching look.

She doesn't deserve this, being terrified of human contact and wanting it all at the same time. Didn't serve to be so lost and without anywhere to turn. He shifts towards her again, reaches to curl his fingers against her spine, run them up and down that curve.

He's glad she hasn't yet, not on purpose. But he knows. Maybe one day.]

I'm sorry. I'm not saying- I know I chose this, sweetheart. I signed up for it. But you didn't, not for any of that. And I have you. You didn't have anybody for a long time.

It's in the past. [She shrugs and drops her gaze away again. She hates talking about-- hates thinking about those long months between when her powers first manifested and when she found her way to the X-men. It's something she's always tried to push out of her mind. But, like she said, it's in the past now. Ever since she set her focus on joining the team, she's known exactly what she's signing herself up for. She doesn't look forward to it but she knows it's most likely inevitable.

There's a soft exhale at his touch and she glances over at him, managing a small half smile, concern in her eyes again.] Are you going to be okay though?

[He looks down at that, his brows furrowing and his lips pulling down in a slight frown. It's a hard question. He's not sure he can lie to her. He's not sure even trying would be worth it. His fingers splay over her back; his palm follows, rubbing gently in circles.] I don't know. Maybe it gets easier. [He lifts his eyes to hers, not bothering to hide the exhaustion in them. He's tired, in every possible way.]

Edited 2011-03-02 06:48 (UTC)

[She almost shakes her head before thinking better of it and instead just biting her lip. One hand reaches for his free one.] I don't know, sugah. [And then she really takes in his overall appearance for the first time, taking note of the obvious exhaustion. Briefly, she considers telling him to go back to his room and crash but abandons that thought as she comes to a realisation. It's the realisation that he needs her right now. Instead, she tugs gently at his hand, scooting further back on to her bed.] Come on.

[Every bit of him seems to deflate at her gentle urging; he lets out a heavy breath and follows, kicking off his shoes on the way. The truth is he doesn't believe this will get easier, but at this moment, right now, he thinks it doesn't have to always be so hard either. He falls back onto one of her pillows, his eyes half-closed, and waits for her to tuck herself beside him.]

Thank you.

Edited 2011-03-02 16:31 (UTC)

[It's barely even a wait before she's curled up beside him, one hand resting lightly on his chest.] It'll be okay.

[He closes his eyes with a sigh, succumbing to the need for rest and the comfort of her next to him. Carefully, tenderly, he rubs his hand over her back, bunching and smoothing the fabric back over her hip, reaches to touch her fingers. He doesn't know how to respond to that, so he doesn't. Instead he merely presses his lips to her hair.]

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[closed thread] trouble in paradise

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Lame tag, sorry.

I don't know to what you are referring.