marvel one-shots

5. wolverine ; trust

I circled Logan and he circled me. I had my arms up to protect my face. He ran and dived for my feet but I jumped and smacked his head with the top of my foot.

I smiled and rested my bare foot on his chest. He huffed, obviously peeved with me. I got off him and extended my hand. He took it and I helped him up.

"Quit letting me win. It's no fun." I say, my arms crossed. He takes a towel off one of the elastic bands around the ring and wipes his face.

"I'm not going to hit you Gracie. It's not right." I frown. If he wanted to win, if he wanted to beat me, he would have me pinned with two black eyes and a busted jaw in about five seconds. I've seen him beat guys and girls alike up but he just won't hit me.

"Logan I know you don't want to hit me because we're friends-"

"Not friends."

"-Comrades. But how can I get better if you don't toughen me up, that's the point of sparring buddies."

"Fine. Arms up." He says and tosses the towel to the side. We circle each other again and he wraps his foot around my ankle and trips me. He has me pinned and my bum hurts from the impact. He takes his arm back to hit me but stops.

"That's why." He says and stands, pulling me up with him. "You're too weak."

"Am not." 

"No?" He questions and jumps off the ring and onto the ground. I slip between the bands and pull a sweatshirt on. "You trust too many people kid. Trust gets you killed."

I huff. He turns the tv on and goes to the news. He runs a hand over his face and I notice how tired he looks.

I sit next to him on the bench and watch the news caster.

"Bank robbery in New York City, west side..." The man trails off. Logan stands and grabs his stuff.

"Come on." He says and I follow.

"But I haven't fought actual bad guys. I've only fought you and you've let me win every time." I say struggling to keep up.

"Trust me." He says.

"What happened to 'trust gets you killed'?" I question. He gets into his car and I get shotgun.

"Trust me. But don't trust anyone else."

"Gee thanks." I say.

"You might want to suit up." He says, eyeing my sweaty outfit.

"I don't have a fucking suit Logan. Remember? The last one didn't disappear with me." I say.

"Oh yeah, ha. I got it fixed. It's in my duffel bag." He says.

"You did? Oh my god thank you." I say and climb to the back seat to change. I rummage through his smelly bag. It's full of sneakers and sweats and deodorant and boxers. I find the suit at the bottom.

The leather-like black fabric feels slick and smooth. I pull off my sweatshirt, shorts and my tank and pull on the suit.

I climb back into the front seat and zip up the front. I smooth it out.

"No knives or guns or anything?"

"Didn't have a chance to get it Gracie, sorry." He grins. "Here we are." I look forward and see a mess of a street block. There's spare money everywhere and the front of the building is destroyed. The robbers must have used explosives to inflict that much damage.

"Let's go." He says and opens his door. We start down the block in a haste. There's another bank up ahead that we're assuming they're hitting now.

We get there and the alarm has gone off. I focus and disappear from view.

"Make a distraction." He says. I nod, knowing he can't see me. My face turns red, though, again no one can see. I head through the open door and towards the man standing on a desk.

"Everyone stay low and you won't get hurt!" He yells. The others pocket the money in burlap sacks. I head to the man on the table and knock the table over. He falls with his gun raised above his head.

"Who did that!?" He yells hoarsely. He lowers his gun at a mother with her child in her arms. She rocks the toddler to keep them quiet. "Was it you?" He inquires. She shakes her head rapidly. "Liar!" He yells and shoots the mother dead.

"No!" I yell and begin to appear again. I curse under my breath and can't vanish. I shake, afraid to move. I stare at her dead body. The child cries. I see the man in my side view raise his gun to my head level.

Logan takes him down quickly, his claws out and scratches at the man and blood pours out. There's more blood in this one room than I've seen in a lifetime.

The henchmen leave through the door quickly. I stand in a daze, trying not to weep for the lady that died because of me. For the child that is now motherless.

Logan stands and drags me out by the arm. My legs walk on their own and I cover my mouth with my free hand. We get in the car and he floors it.

"What was that?" He yells at me. "You protect me and I protect you. It's just you and me, Grace. Don't make me regret taking you in."

"She died because of me." I mumble. He looks at me and then back at the road.

"No she didn't. It's not your fault that guy shot her." His voice softens while he looks at the road.

"She wouldn't have died if I hadn't been so clumsy."

"Maybe. But you can't change it now. There's no point in dwelling on the past, it won't change anything." He says bitterly, like he's saying it to remind himself too.

"What about her kid?" I twist in my seat to face him. He locks his eyes on the road.

"The police will take care of it. We caught them, that's all that matters."

"Why couldn't I disappear after she died?" I ask.

"Your body's reaction to distress, maybe."

"Can I avoid it in the future?"

"Don't think too much about the bad stuff that happens in a battle. Trust me, I'll trust you. Protect me, I'll protect you. That's all we need. Everything else complicates life."

"Sounds good to me." I say honestly and turn back to look at the road. He moves his hand over and takes mine. He looks at me. My face feels hot and I'm glad I don't disappear this time.