[It's not hard to hear the exasperation in his tone. Making a soft grunt in response, she settles down. Sitting on the edge of the bed, her legs dangle. The pillow in her hands is dropped to the floor, and she rests her hand over his. She's listening.]
I am always listening.
[Which isn't that far from the truth. She can pick up on all kinds of things with her hearing. That, and she does always listen to him. Even if she sometimes argues or acts like she's ignoring him.]
[ Mollified, he doesn't shake her hand off like he once did, when the grief was pressing in on all sides and her little fingers around his wrist were just another burden.
He does sigh though, scrubbing his free hand over his beard, and takes a seat beside her. ]
Magneto was eleven once, you're right about that. But he was a grown up when he did what he did, and he went out of his way to use a lot of people. To hurt those people, too.
Maybe he's not the same man. [ It's for Laura's benefit that he says so, not his. One ounce of bullshit and he's taking him and Laura out of here, possibly anyone else who wants to come, too. ] Maybe he's changed. I still need you to be careful around him.
[Her fingers tap against his skin as she thinks over his words, and she eventually nods. With him sitting beside her, she leans over to rest leaning up against him.]
I will not let him hurt you.
[The words come out fast, a blur of protective instinct rising up within her. He was taken away from her once. She won't be lucky enough to get him back again, she knows.]
[ Okay this is new. Warmth sparks deep in his chest, a flame he's felt few times in his life, and the one he's forever leery of kindling. Bad shit always happens.
What if his brand of luck followed him through the Ingress? If they can bring him back from the brink, what's stopping someone like Dr Rice from coming through? What if that clone freak does? Laura shouldn't have to worry about protecting her father from any of that.
After a moment, Logan brings his other arm up behind her, settling a hand on her shoulder. It's a cautious gesture at first, unsure if he should or if he's doing it right. ]
[That small gesture makes Laura's breath hitch. Affection isn't easy for either of them, she knows that. But to have him showing her even this much means a lot. Slowly exhaling, she gathers her thoughts and tries to explain her worries to him.]
I do. You died because -
[Because he was old, and tired. Because his mutation wasn't working properly anymore. Because his blood was poisoned and he was a drunk, and he had foolishly used too much of that serum. He died because of X-24, but in her mind he mostly died because of her. If she hadn't come into his life, both he and Charles would be alive.
He wouldn't have run back after her, to save her.
If she had been stronger, more capable, she could've done more to fight and keep him alive. Images of his bloody final moments flood her mind and her small frame gives a shudder. Choking on a sob, she turns so she's wrapping her arms around him and her face is buried up against his shirt. ]
You died because I let you. I will not let it happen again.
[The words are muffled, but she knows he can hear them.]
[ He's stymied a bit in that moment, not expecting that reaction, and not real sure what to do with it. Her next words, though, well they chill him right to his core, dread and grief, and an unfamiliar worry- worry for her, for the little girl crying into his shirt, because she blamed herself for her daddy's death.
Logan's arm tightens around her shoulders, even as he shakes his head, swallowing the hard lump in his throat. What the fuck is he supposed to do? What the fuck is he supposed to say? ]
Oh Laura... Laura, no-- None of that was your fault. Not a damn bit. Don't you ever think that.
[She wants to tell him how hard it had been to bury him, how hard it had been to walk away and follow after Rictor and the others. She doesn't though, because he doesn't need to know. He'll worry about her enough from what little she's just said. She goes quiet and very still, trying to act like she's not crying.
Slowly, she nods her head, and pulls away from leaning up against him so she can look up at him. Her eyes are red and still a little glassy from tears, but she risks looking weak in front of him so she can get a good look at his face. All she sees there is truth. He isn't just telling her something to patronize her.]
There are second chances here.
[For the both of them. There isn't any point in dwelling in what happened, no matter how traumatic it was. He doesn't blame her, and hearing that means she can start to move forward from everything they left behind back on Earth. She hopes he understands that's what she's trying to say.]
[ Seeing her like this is a gut punch he's not ready for. The last time she looked so small, so wounded, he was dying, the world around her losing light and color. It's a curiously anxious feeling, knowing he'd do anything not to have to see her looking like that ever again.
Logan has to marshal himself before he trusts he can respond, roughly, ]
Right.
[ He rubs a thumb back over Laura's cheek, wiping away her tears, and tips her chin up with his fist, giving her a critical eye. ]
[That's a pretty deep question for her to try and come up with an honest answer for him. A part of her realizes that they both need to hear honesty here.]
Yes.
[She desperately wants to believe that's true. So much so that she doesn't flinch away when he wipes at her tears, and she only nods a little so his hand near her chin isn't bumped. For as rough as she can be, she's surprisingly capable of being gentle.]
We have to start over. We can have a home and be a family.
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no subject
I am always listening.
[Which isn't that far from the truth. She can pick up on all kinds of things with her hearing. That, and she does always listen to him. Even if she sometimes argues or acts like she's ignoring him.]
no subject
He does sigh though, scrubbing his free hand over his beard, and takes a seat beside her. ]
Magneto was eleven once, you're right about that. But he was a grown up when he did what he did, and he went out of his way to use a lot of people. To hurt those people, too.
Maybe he's not the same man. [ It's for Laura's benefit that he says so, not his. One ounce of bullshit and he's taking him and Laura out of here, possibly anyone else who wants to come, too. ] Maybe he's changed. I still need you to be careful around him.
no subject
I will not let him hurt you.
[The words come out fast, a blur of protective instinct rising up within her. He was taken away from her once. She won't be lucky enough to get him back again, she knows.]
no subject
What if his brand of luck followed him through the Ingress? If they can bring him back from the brink, what's stopping someone like Dr Rice from coming through? What if that clone freak does? Laura shouldn't have to worry about protecting her father from any of that.
After a moment, Logan brings his other arm up behind her, settling a hand on her shoulder. It's a cautious gesture at first, unsure if he should or if he's doing it right. ]
You don't have to worry about me.
no subject
I do. You died because -
[Because he was old, and tired. Because his mutation wasn't working properly anymore. Because his blood was poisoned and he was a drunk, and he had foolishly used too much of that serum. He died because of X-24, but in her mind he mostly died because of her. If she hadn't come into his life, both he and Charles would be alive.
He wouldn't have run back after her, to save her.
If she had been stronger, more capable, she could've done more to fight and keep him alive. Images of his bloody final moments flood her mind and her small frame gives a shudder. Choking on a sob, she turns so she's wrapping her arms around him and her face is buried up against his shirt. ]
You died because I let you. I will not let it happen again.
[The words are muffled, but she knows he can hear them.]
no subject
Logan's arm tightens around her shoulders, even as he shakes his head, swallowing the hard lump in his throat. What the fuck is he supposed to do? What the fuck is he supposed to say? ]
Oh Laura... Laura, no-- None of that was your fault. Not a damn bit. Don't you ever think that.
no subject
Slowly, she nods her head, and pulls away from leaning up against him so she can look up at him. Her eyes are red and still a little glassy from tears, but she risks looking weak in front of him so she can get a good look at his face. All she sees there is truth. He isn't just telling her something to patronize her.]
There are second chances here.
[For the both of them. There isn't any point in dwelling in what happened, no matter how traumatic it was. He doesn't blame her, and hearing that means she can start to move forward from everything they left behind back on Earth. She hopes he understands that's what she's trying to say.]
no subject
Logan has to marshal himself before he trusts he can respond, roughly, ]
Right.
[ He rubs a thumb back over Laura's cheek, wiping away her tears, and tips her chin up with his fist, giving her a critical eye. ]
You think we can start over, kid?
no subject
Yes.
[She desperately wants to believe that's true. So much so that she doesn't flinch away when he wipes at her tears, and she only nods a little so his hand near her chin isn't bumped. For as rough as she can be, she's surprisingly capable of being gentle.]
We have to start over. We can have a home and be a family.