Another Life

Part 25

After Rogue and I's talk in the hallway was over I started heading back to my room. I heard footsteps behind me, soft but hurried. I turned to see Rogue, her face half-hidden in the shadows of the hallway. She looked uncertain, like she wasn't sure if she should have followed. I thought we left on a good note after I met her in front of her room.

"Logan," she said quietly, her voice barely more than a whisper. "Can I... can I stay in your room tonight?"

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by the request. "What's wrong, kid? I asked. "Something happen within five minutes?"

She shook her head quickly. "No. No. Nothing like that. I just... I don't want to be alone tonight. Too much on my mind, I guess."

I nodded, understanding the feeling all too well. "Yeah, alright," I said gruffly. "C'mon. You can have the bed; I'll take the floor."

She hesitated for a moment, then followed me down the hall into my room. I grabbed a spare blanket from the closet and tossed it onto the floor, then pulled out a pillow for myself. Rogue sat in the middle of the bed, watching me with that same uncertain look.

"You sure?" She asked, her voice small. "I don't wanna put you out or anything."

I waved her off. "Don't worry about it," I said, "I've slept in worse places than the floor. Plus me sleeping on the floor isn't my first rodeo."

She gave me a small, grateful smile and crawled under the covers. I settled onto the floor, the coolness of the wooden boards against my back. We lay there in silence for a while, the only sound is the rustle of sheets as Rogue shifted restlessly above me.

After what felt like only a couple of minutes, she spoke up again. "Logan?"

"Yeah?"

"I can't sleep," she admitted, her tone was laced with little frustration.

I sighed, staring up at the ceiling. "Yeah I know the feeling," I muttered. "Too much going on in that head of yours?"

She laughed lightly, but it was a humorless sound.  "Something like that,"  she said. "I just keep thinking about...everything. Bobby, about what I want, about where I fit in all of this."

I turned my head to look at her, though I could barely make out her face in the darkness. "It's a lot to deal with," I said. "You're doing alright, Rogue. Don't be too hard on yourself."

She stared back at me. "I wish I could just turn my brain off sometimes," she confessed. "Just...stop thinking for a while."

I knew that feeling all too well. I wanted to that with the whole situation with Jean. Where she was. Where she was heading. What she was doing. I finally replied ripping the thoughts out of my head to focus on Rogue. "You just need something to take the edge off."

She hesitated, then shifted on the bed again, her face appearing over the edge of the bed, looking down at me. "Like what?" Her voice was full of curiosity.

I smirked. Stretching my body to reach into my leather jacket, pulling out a cigar. "Ever tried one of these?" I asked, holding up the Cuban cigar.

Her eyes widened a bit, and she shook her head. "No," she admitted. "I've never smoked before."

I shrugged, biting off the end of the cigar and lighting it with a lighter I kept in my pocket. I took a deep drag, letting the smoke fill my lungs before blowing it out in a slow, steady stream. "Wanna try?" I offered, holding it out to her.

She slid off the bed and crouched beside me, her eyes fixed on the cigar. "Are you sure?"

I chuckled. "It ain't gonna kill ya," I said. "Not right away, anyway."

Rogue gave me a small, tentative smile, then reached out and took the cigar from my hand. She examined it closely, like it was some kind of foreign object. "What do i do?" She asked.

"Just put it to your lips and take a small breath," I instructed. "Don't inhale too deep. First time can be a bit harsh."

She nodded and did as I said, bringing the cigar to her lips and taking a cautious puff. She coughed almost immediately, her eyes watering, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Told ya," I said, grinning.

She gave me a mock glare but was smiling. "Thanks for the warning," she said sarcastically.

"Hey I warned ya enough," I shot back, still laughing. "Take another go. You'll get the hang of it."

She took another drag, this is one a bit more controlled, and managed not to cough. She exhaled, slowly watching the smoke curl up toward the ceiling. "I think I get it now," she said, her voice a bit softer, more relaxed.

"Yeah, it ain't so bad," I said, taking the cigar back from her and taking a puff myself. "Good for takin' the edge off."

We passed the cigar back and forth a few more times, Rogue slowly getting the hang of it. She seemed to relax a bit more with each puff, her shoulders loosening, the tension in her face easing.

"Thanks, Logan." She said quietly after a while. "For...letting me stay here."

I nodded, blowing out another stream of smoke. "Anytime, kid." I said. "You know that."

She smiled, a genuine smile, and leaned back against the bed. "I think I might actually be able to sleep now," she said softly.

I stubbed out the cigar against the floor and put it back into my jacket pocket. "Good," I said. "You need your rest. And if you need to crash here again, you know where to find me."

Rogue began crawling back into bed and nestling into the covers once more. I lay back down on the floor, feeling a bit more relaxed knowing everything is going to be okay. Maybe it was the cigar or maybe it was Rogue. Even seeing Rogue okay soothed me.

As I closed my eyes, I heard Rogue's soft steady breathing above me, and I knew she'd finally drifted off. I allowed a small smile to cross my face.