Demon (discontinued)

16

Claire sat by Rogue's bed and stared at his sleeping figure. Wendy said he would be alright, and Claire trusted her, but she still couldn't help but be extremely worried for him. They still couldn't go home yet, there was no home to go back to. Not yet.

She watched as Rogue's chest rose and fell with his steady breathing. His quiet breathing was all she could hear in the infirmary. With an occasional, sharp and sudden exhale. She ran a hand through his hair, it had grown so long in the past year. Not that she minded, she was in love with his long hair.

"Baby."

He managed to croak out a soft greeting and squeezed the girl's hand.

"Hi baby."

Claire smiled softly and placed a kiss on Rogue's hand. He smiled back, weakly sitting up to face the mage. She was shining in all her brilliance, as always. Her hair flowed and sat upon her shoulders. She had cut it.

"You cut your hair."

Claire's eyes widened and her hand unconsciously went to touch her hair. In fact, it sat upon her shoulders, much shorter than it had been before.

"I did."

"It looks beautiful, angel."

"I wasn't expecting it to be so short, even your hair is longer than mine."

"I can cut it if you'd lik-"

"Rogue Cheney, don't you dare."

Rogue chuckled a little and placed a hand on top of Claire's head. He threaded his fingers into the short, velvet locks and pulled her into a kiss.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

"I didn't get to pick you up from the station like I promised I would."

Claire laughed and kissed Rogue's scar. She loved that scar, even if Rogue hated it. It reminded her that anything could have happened to Rogue, but fate decided to place him right here. With her.

"You're alive and that's all that matters to me."

"I could say the same for you."

"Nonsense, none of my forms have ever killed me."

Rogue squeezed the girl's hands tightly.

"Tell me the truth, that wasn't one of your forms, was it?"

Claire's eyes widened ever so slightly.

"That's ridiculous, of course it's one of my forms!"

"I'm not dumb, angel. I've seen the markings on your lower back. I saw the way you had shifted into the 'form' before even transforming. I'm quiet, love, but that doesn't make me dumb."

"Quiet, my ass."

"Whatever it is.."

Rogue took her hands and kissed them.

"Whatever you are, human or god, angel or demon, I love you and I'm happy to see you again."

Rogue smiled softly, admiring the slight pink tint on Claire's face at the moment. He took out something, a photo.

"You won't believe what happened while you were gone."

"What happened?"

Rogue handed her the picture and she opened it. It was a picture of a small home, a little larger than two Fairy Hills apartments put together.

"What's this?"

"I saved money, and with Sting's help, I bought a house."

Rogue's smile grew a little and Claire couldn't help but smile back at him. She loved the way he smiled, and she knew that it was for her. Every smile and chuckle. It was all for her.

"Claire."

"Yes?"

"I want to tell you something, but first, I need you to survive this whole thing. Whatever this is, I need you to survive. And when we finally go back home, I'll tell you."

Claire stared at her boyfriend and nodded, knowing that he would be the last person to break a promise like that.