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headknight-oh · 2 months ago

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The Second Library of Alexandria

Rust Bandana

Summary: Daryl doesn’t know about hanky code, but Finn sure does. In which the bandana in Daryl’s back pocket becomes the subject of teasing and tension

Rating: T

Warnings: Canon-typical violence, discussion of sexual topics but nothing explicit

I’m bad at summaries, but this is the flagging fic I’ve been concocting. Here’s a little rundown and useful table for anyone unfamiliar with hanky code. https://www.thesaintfoundation.org/community/hanky-code-bob-damrons-address-book

Finn noticed the bandana in Daryl’s back pocket almost immediately. The rust colored bandana. They knew it was probably a funny accident, but chuckled to themself about it occasionally. Once or twice, Daryl noticed them looking him up and down and smiling at their private little joke.

The first time he noticed, they had been working in silence near each other. Daryl was field stripping a deer he’d caught that morning while Finn painstakingly unpicked the seams on Carl’s jeans to open the waist a few inches.

Daryl could feel their eyes on his back even before he turned around; their gaze had a strange piercing sensation that sent shivers down his spine and blood to his cheeks. Taking two steps back, Daryl tilted his head, craning his neck over his shoulder. He was met with Finn’s smiling face. It wasn’t the gleeful, pleasant smile they wore when they told stories around the campfire or sang to the kids or looked at the stars. He’d seen that smile plenty of times in the past few months. He thought they smiled too often and with too much mirth for someone who could explode a walker’s skull from 70 yards away with a fist-sized rock and a lacrosse stick, but even that they seemed to take joy in.

The smile they wore now was a different one. Closer to a smirk, like they knew something he didn’t. And the way their eyes lingered on his frame made his stomach flip.

He felt his ears grow warm. “Fuck you laughin at?”

Finn just smiled again. “Wouldn’t you like to know, weather boy?”

He stalked over to them, grabbing the cloth from his back pocket to wipe deer blood off his fingers and sweat from his brow. “Yeah,” he said, spinning his knife in his hand, “I would.” He towered over their seated frame. He tried to look intimidating, scowling and puffing up his chest, but the way they unflinchingly met his eyes had him fidgeting and chewing the inside of his cheek.

Finn snorted a laugh. “Alright,” they drawled, leaning back against the tree behind them and kicking a leg out. They looked him up and down, lingering at his belt before meeting his eye line. “Then beg for me, pretty boy.”

Daryl’s mouth fell open for a beat. Finn cracked after a moment, breaking out into an amused chuckle.

Daryl exhaled angrily, spitting a terse “fuck you,” before turning back to his deer. He heard them laughing again as he walked away. He knew they were laughing at him, and he told himself he didn’t care. It was probably just teasing anyways, nothing malicious. And there was a playful glint in their eye that kept him from getting too pissed, a look that churned the strange warmth in his ears to move down his cheeks and neck. He was glad for the Georgia heat.

Some time passed, when they’d found the Greene’s farm, after Shane blew a fuse or two over the barn full of walkers, and after they’d buried Sophia.

They now had an injured man in the barn. After Hershel had patched his impaled leg up, they tied him up and let Daryl beat the shit out of him. Twenty minutes passed, then forty, then an hour and the blunt thuds and pained groaning still persisted.

Finn paced in front of the barn, angrily cradling a rotten egg in their lacrosse stick. They’d been told to cool down after Nova had gotten aggressive with Shane.

“The fuck am I supposed to do about her?” Finn had yelled. “It’s not my fault my dog hates fascists.” Shane hadn’t liked that much. Or when Finn had mumbled something about him being a fucking rapist and murderer without the decency to even come up with a believable alibi.

Finn growled angrily, winding back and hurling the rotten egg at the door to the barn. A putrid smell permeated the air.

“Thats it!” They yelled, stomping towards the door.

Dale rushed in front of them. “Woah there, son,” he said with a hand on their shoulder. He had always been kind about Finn's masculinity, especially after a two-hour impromptu lecture on queer theory that he’d asked for while they’d darned the holes in his socks.

“We have someone with a doctorate here. Might as well learn what they know;” he’d said.

“Doctorate student,” they’d replied. “Three quarters of the way there.”

But no one wanted to listen to the doctoral student when they said that torture never produced reliable results. Or when they said that the way they had bound their captive’s hands was dangerous and cut off blood flow.

Finn pushed Dale back firmly but carefully, saddling him with a look that elicited two raised hands. Finn pushed the barn door open, whistling for their dog as they went.

Daryl looked up from where he was hunched over the captive, knuckles bloodied and mouth snarling. From the opposite wall, Shane pushed forward and stalked over.

“Alright gestapo, give the guy a fucking break. You’re not going to get shit that way.” They walked towards the bound man on the floor.

Shane moved to intercept them, but Nova, the normally jovial husky mutt, stood in his way, growling low and menacingly. Her lips curled back to reveal her teeth, yellow with age but still healthy, well maintained. She barked a warning.

Rick hissed Shane’s name in warning from where he still stood from across the room. Shane stood fuming, nostrils flaring, but he held himself still.

As Finn neared, Daryl straightened up, standing in their path, looking down at them from his considerable height advantage. “The fuck you think you’re doing?” he sneered. His brow and hair were wet with sweat. Finn positioned their stick between them, backing up a step.

“I said give the guy a break. It’s been a fucking hour. His hands are going to fall off. If you don’t kill him first.” Finn moved to walk past Daryl, but he pushed their shoulder back quicker, roughly shoving them back a few inches. A growl filled the room as Nova turned with hackles raised. For a flash, Daryl’s face softened. Nova usually loved him; she would spend hours with him, begging for bones from his hunts or demanding pets. She’d never reacted like this before. He felt his throat tighten a bit.

He quickly skilled his face back into a scowl. His momentary confusion had allowed Finn an opening to slip past. They began assessing the poor job they’d done in tying this man’s hands up.

“Fucking hell,” they hissed as they began unwinding the knots.

“She can’t just let him out,” Shane yelled from the middle of the room.

“Shane, leave ‘em be. They got a point.” Rick had come up behind Shane, giving him a pointed look.

“I’m not letting him go, dumbass,” Finn replied as they massaged the blood flow back into the man’s hands. He whimpered through a mouth of blood. “I’m just making sure he doesn’t lose his hands. Or fucking dies from the kgb special.” They moved his hands down below his shoulders, winding the ropes back around his wrists in a way that wouldn’t constrict blood flow. Then they moved on to the other.

Daryl growled. “The fuck we care about that for? This asshole attacked us.”

“Yeah. After Rick killed his friends.”

“It don’t fucking matter. He’s dangerous.”

“I didn’t say he wasn’t. Just that torture doesn’t fucking work. And that we can give the guy a chance.”

Daryl laughed bitterly. “A chance to what? Lead his buddies back and kill us?” He took a step forward as Finn finished wiping some blood from the man’s cheek. He leered down at them.

“I didn’t fucking say to let him go, did I? Or maybe you can’t hear me through that guilty rage you got going on? Just be like a normal fucking teenage boy and go punch some drywall about it.” They stared up at him, eyes narrowing as they saw his face contort in rage.

Daryl’s hand shot forward and grabbed the front of Finn’s shirt. “I don’t gotta take this from a fucking dyke,” he sneered.

Finn just snorted. “You’re one to talk, Mr. rust bandana. I know my dick is silicone, but you can ride it all you need, cowboy. It might calm you the fuck down.”

Daryl saw red at that moment for a few reasons, but anger is the one that seized control of his body as his free arm rocketed towards Finn’s face. They were only able to move their head to the side slightly, taking a fist to the cheek instead of the nose. Finn responded by jabbing the butt of their lacrosse stick into Daryl’s stomach and grabbing the hand in their shirt. They aligned their teeth with Daryl’s thumb and bit down hard.

Before either of them had a chance to do anything else, Rick was grabbing Daryl, pulling his shoulders back and trying to get him away. Likewise, Dale, who had been watching from the door, had run forward to grab Finn, wrapping an arm around their center and wedging his fingers between Finn’s jaws to loosen their grip on Daryl’s hand. The two kicked at each other as they were pulled apart.

“Fuckin bitch bit me!” Daryl yelled, swinging his arms wildly as Rick struggled to hold him back.

“It didn’t even break skin, you fucking pussy,” Finn spat.

“Both of you just need to cool down,” Rick interjected, holding Daryl at arms distance as he paced angrily.

Behind them all, the captive man groaned in pain. Finn turned around. “I’ll cool down when this guy gets a break and some water.”

Daryl’s snide “we ain’t fuckin doin that” was interupted by Rick’s sharp “Daryl!”

They were kept apart for a few days after that. The guy in the barn was given water, but it didn’t much matter. Soon enough, he was dead after Rick and Shane’s failed attempt to leave him far away. Finn threw rocks at trees for a few days in a row after that.

A week or so later, as Finn continued their barrage on one particular maple tree near the edge of the farm, they finally talked again. As Finn wound up for a shot, they quickly had to adjust the momentum of the rock in their stick to avoid hitting Daryl as he emerged from the woods with an impaled squirrel.

“Fucking hell dude watch it,” Finn yelled as the rock flew wide, thankfully missing Daryl by a few feet.

“You watch it. Throwin rocks at me,” he replied, gesturing with the squirrel in his hand.

“You would have heard me for miles. I’m not exactly being quiet right now. You walked out there on fucking purpose.” They turned around and grabbed a water bottle.

Daryl began to argue with a stubborn “no I fuckin didn’t,” before he stopped. Now that he thought about it, that is what happened. Or more precisely, his body had walked towards the noise without him even thinking. He had been worrying over the way Finn’s dog had reacted to him the other day: the bared teeth and low growls. It troubled him. He liked that dog. He wanted that dog to like him. And she usually did. But now, as he approached Finn, Nova stood from her nap nearby to pad closer to her owner. Usually, he would be treated with excited husky grumbles and dog kisses all over. Now, she just eyed him warily, leaning close to her owner. Daryl found himself staring at the dog, eyebrows drawn together.

“What do you want?” Finn asked, reaching down to pet their dog.

“Nothin,” Daryl said on instinct. He felt them look at him, impatient and harsh. He took a breath. “Sorry,” he said curtly. “For punchin you.”

Finn shook their head. “I’m not mad you punched me, Daryl. I’m mad that you punched that guy for over an hour. I’m mad that you’re taking your lead from fucking Shane. I’m fucking mad that guy just died because Rick and Shane decided that they have a right to just decide who’s worthy of life. It’s fucked.” They growled in exasperation as they loaded another rock in their stick and began pacing, cradling in one hand.

Daryl was silent for a moment. Then he grunted and nodded. He didn’t necessarily agree, but he didn’t disagree either. He wasn’t quite sure how he felt. Instead he said, “You got some fuckin jaw strength on you.”

Finn paused and looked at the fading bruise on Daryl’s left hand. “I stand by what I said,” they said flatly. “It didn’t even break the skin. Don’t be a pussy.” When they looked up to meet his eyes, however, there was no malice in their gaze. Instead, they cracked a small smile. He followed suit soon after, chuckling a bit.

As the smile spread across his face, Nova's curled tail began wagging, almost as if a switch had been flipped. She barked happily and began sniffing at the squirrel in Daryl’s hand. Daryl’s chest felt a bit lighter then. He pet the dog a bit, a sense of relief washing over him. He was vaguely aware of Finn’s usual pleasant smile returning to their face. He liked it more than the pissed scowl that they’d been donning the past week. He stood again, much to Nova's protests. He nodded before turning and walking past Finn towards his tent. As he passed, Finn's eyes followed. A sudden giggle tore itself from their chest

Daryl turned quickly. “What?” He asked.

Finn snorted, gesturing to the new cloth in his back pocket. “No longer feeling rust, huh? Navy blue do it for you now? And on the right this time? Hate to tell you honey, but you’re not escaping the allegations.”

Daryl’s eyes widened. He’d switched the cloth in his back pocket a few days ago. Because it had been getting dirty. Not because of what Finn had said, he assured himself.

“Fuck do you mean?” He said, looking behind him.

Finn laughed again. It was bright and clear this time. When they looked at him, that same playful glint was back in their eye. “If you’re a bottom, you just gotta say it, baby. Like I said, my dick might be silicone, but she does the job just fine. I promise.”

Daryl felt his face flush as he stuttered for a response. He watched them step forward, as close as they had been a week ago in the barn. His whole body felt warm.

Laughing still, Finn raised a hand and tapped his cheek lightly. “I’m just messing with you,” they said. “I know you don’t know what they mean.”

Daryl exhaled shakily. “Yeah,” was all he could say as he tried to slow his heartbeat. Finn clearly noticed this and wore a big shit eating grin on their face. He took a step back to breathe. “You ain’t funny,” he said, clearing his throat and willing his blood to flow away from one head and back to the other.

Finn laughed again. “Oh I so am.”

Daryl grunted as he turned away. He threw a hand up to wave goodbye.

“Bye, Daryl,” Finn called behind him. “See you in your wet dreams tonight I guess.”

“Shut it,” he huffed without turning around. Their laughter followed him even after he was too far away to hear it.

Not very long after they became amiable with each other again, they lost the farm. It was a shame, really; it had been nice there. The following few months were filled with impermanent campsites, chilly nights by the fire, and a perpetual presence of a choking fear.

Every once in a while, when Finn tried to lighten the mood with jokes, the topic of bandanas would come up. If the two were on watch together or when they had more than five minutes in silence, they’d let loose a little jab.

“Oh gold today, huh? I don’t think Glenn and Maggie are looking for a third, but good luck to you.”

“Medium blue? I knew you wanted to fuck Rick.”

“Really? Black? Didn’t peg you for a masochist. Assumed you’d like to be fucked like a princess."

Each joke elicited the same scoff and an occasional “fuck off,” which, in turn, received a standard response of laughter or more teasing. And even though the teasing is all in good fun, it stuck with Daryl for days, sometimes weeks, afterwards. Their words would pop into his head at night before falling asleep. He wasn’t particularly used to people joking with him like that. Sure, he’d gotten his fair share of sex jokes from Merle, and Carol joked like that once in a while, but this was different. He wasn’t quite sure how, but it was.

Different enough, at least, that their words would keep him awake with a strange tight feeling in his abdomen far too often for his liking. Different enough, still, that they would worm their way into his fantasies on the few occasions that he allowed himself to masturbate. He didn’t touch himself often, unpracticed hands making for a rather underwhelming release, but sometimes, when the coil of warmth in his stomach became too much to bear, he would stalk off into the woods to take care of himself. As of late, Finn’s words followed him close behind. I know my dick is silicone, but you can ride it all you need, cowboy. That one stuck with him far more than he’d ever admit, even to himself.

Occasionally, Rick would make Daryl accompany Finn when they went looking for edible and medicinal plants. Daryl learned quickly that they didn’t know shit about actually navigating the wilderness but “yarrow helps stop bleeding. Soldiers used to chew it up and put it on their wounds during the Civil War. And honey. It’s naturally antibacterial. And it basically never goes bad. They found jars of it still good in the pyramids.” So he helped them find their way.

Daryl didn’t particularly mind chaperoning. Sometimes they would share a laugh together or walk in a comfortable silence. More often, they would make him flinch as they trundled through the wild with the untrained gait of someone whose time in the woods was spent in pursuits other than hunting. While they walked, they prattled on about their doctoral thesis that they’d never get to finish or lilted a song he didn’t recognize.

“Yer loud as shit out here. Gonna call every walker for a mile our way,” he grumbled, keeping his head on a swivel.

“Well,” they replied, bending to compare the picture in a field guide to the plant in front of them, “then it’s a good thing I have a big scary guard dog to take care of that for me.”

He huffed. “I ain’t no dog.”

“Oh really?” They muttered absentmindedly, beginning to gather what they concluded to be yarrow into a bag, “You’re flagging orange. I thought puppy play was on the table. Shame. Would’ve loved to see you in a collar.” They straightened up and brushed some dirt off their knees. “Alright. Keep a look out for a magnolia or a dogwood tree.” They turned to look up at him, finding him tense and flushed. “You ok?”

He shook the forming fantasy out of his head. “The fuck you gotta do that for?

“Do what?”

“Ya know. That!” He growled in exasperation when they shook their head in confusion. “The fukin, ya know, the fukin puppy shit. And the color shit. It don’t mean nothin.” He huffed again.

They laughed. He thought they did that far too much for the end of the world or the rapture or whatever hell they were made to live in now, but he didn’t usually mind; it was a nice break from the hushed tones of survival that everyone else took on.

They looked up at him. “I just think it’s really funny. And you’re cute when you’re flustered.” Daryl made a noise of dismissal, scoffing, and Finn chuckled. They began to scan the surrounding forest, choosing a direction seemingly at random and setting off that way. They whistled behind them. “This way, boy,” they called in the same voice they used with their actual dog. He grumbled, only a little glad that they didn't turn around to see the way his face burned.

As he followed behind them, Daryl’s mind couldn’t help but wander. To collars, to panting mouths, to tongues, to a leash pulling him in. He truly hated how easily Finn could get under his skin, into his head with words bearing barbed tips. They seemed to hit on things within him that he himself hadn’t known about. It was as if they saw the map of his desires, the map he’d crumpled upon finding and hid away in his adolescence before he’d had a chance to know it himself. He blinked rapidly to clear his increasingly explicit thoughts, focusing instead on breathing manually. It felt wrong to think about Finn like that, especially when they were only joking.

In his heated distraction, however, he hadn’t noticed Finn stopping in front of a tree. He walked directly into their back, knocking them forward onto the ground. They fell with a sharp squeak of surprise and landed in a flurry of white and purple petals, scraping their hand and arm on the rough bark in attempt to catch themself.

“Oh come on,” Finn whined. “This was my last shirt without blood on it.” Red bloomed from the scraped skin of their hand and arm, staining the fabric of their band tshirt. “What the fuck, Daryl?”

They looked up from the ground and saddled him with an annoyed glare. First, he let his brain assess the bleeding: a mild surface scratch. They weren’t seriously hurt. Good. Next, his shame took over.

“Shit,” he said as he bent to help them to their feet. He gripped their hands, ignoring the hissed ‘motherfucker’ when he made contact with the scrapes. He pulled them up then wiped their blood off his hands on the side of his pants. He looked down at their feet. “Sorry,” he said lamely.

“Well this is inconvenient,” Finn huffed. The pooling blood began to drip in rivulets down their fingers and onto the flowers below. “This is my sewing and stabbing hand. Can I get a towel or something? I’d like to stop exsanguinating.”

Daryl fumbled for the orange cloth in his back pocket, offering it up. Finn took it and pressed it to the scrape. When the pooled blood was mostly absorbed, they folded it over and pressed down a bit. They opened their mouth to speak, likely to complain or berate, but were interrupted by a shuffling of leaves and a throaty rasp off to the right. Both Finn’s and Daryl’s heads snapped towards the sound to find a shambling corpse making its way towards them. Daryl leveled a shot to its skull, arrow finding purchase with a wet thud through the eye socket.

As Daryl moved to retrieve his spent arrow, he felt a hand on his arm. He looked down at Finn; their eyebrows were drawn together, and their eyes flitted around as if they were searching for something.

“Wait a sec,” they said. Their head whipped around quickly. “Do you hear that?” They stepped around him to get a better look at the corpse, their face dropping almost immediately. “Fuck.”

Behind the slight swell of the earth, an undulating mass of rotting bodies slowly stalked towards the noise their fallen broodmate had made. Finn took a step back as the first few breached the height of the hill.

“Fuck.” Daryl grabbed their shoulder and began to run.

There were dozens of the things, all too close for either of their preferred dispatching methods. Not that Finn had brought their stick in the first place; this was supposed to be a short foraging trip. Regardless, the swarm was much too tall for Finn to get a good stabbing angle, especially with their off hand. And Daryl couldn’t get them all himself. So running it was. They crashed through the woods, whipping branches pulling at them as they passed. Outpacing the pack of carrion behind proved easy enough until fleeing led them to another group of dead. Daryl changed direction quickly, dodging the swiping arms of death as he did. Finn followed without question; directions were not their strong suit. They swerved out of the path of a smaller group of walkers, Daryl dropping the few that got too close.

The groaning behind them grew louder, increasing on all sides. Finn was looking around frantically before their eyes zeroed in.

“Daryl!” They yelled, directing his attention with a gesture. “Up there!”

A few hundred yards away, up in the tree line, he saw the camouflaged outline of a duck blind. A rope ladder swung in decaying disuse below it. He made a beeline towards it, Finn following close behind. The dead closed in around them as they approached the blind. Daryl stabbed through the skulls of a few that congregated around the ladder. Finn kicked at kneecaps of others, sickening cracks accompanying the descent of the corpses to the ground.

Daryl grabbed the back of Finn’s shirt, pulling them back effortlessly to the rope ladder. “Up!” He ordered as he pushed another walker back before closing the gap between his knife and its cranium.

Finn didn’t need to be told twice. They scrambled up the ladder, bloodied hand screaming at the texture of the rough rope. Near the top, one of the rungs snapped, worn wood decayed enough to crumble under Finn’s feet. They let out a distressed noise, flailing to regain their balance while keeping their grip on the ropes. Daryl looked up to see the rope ladder swaying precariously before Finn could calm it. He grabbed the bottom of the ladder to help steady it. They finished the last few rungs, hauling themself over the lip and onto the floor of the blind. After a cursory glance confirmed it was empty, they leaned back over the edge, calling out to Daryl to start his ascent.

Daryl killed one last walker, throwing its body into the path of a few that still lumbered his way. He scrambled up the ladder, making it past the broken rung with ease. His hands found the next one. With a surprised shout, the rung snapped under his grip as he began to fall backwards. Finn lunged downward, grabbing at Daryl to prevent him falling to the forming ocean of decay below him. The rope ladder swung wildly. Finn grunted and began to pull, to realign Daryl with the ladder. The blood from their hand dripped down their fingers and onto Daryl’s, dripping onto his face past his upraised hands that grasped for life. Daryl grunted, fumbling for the ropes as he helped Finn haul him up into the blind.

They laid there for a minute panting on the floor of the blind. Finn still held his hand tightly, as if afraid he were still in danger of falling. He felt the blood oozing from their wound, trapped between their clasped hands.

Eventually, Finn let out a breathless “yowza” and sat up. They retracted their hand from his and grabbed the discarded orange cloth from the floor. They rolled to the side, sitting up with their back to a wall. They slid their backpack off, pulling out some of the yarrow they gathered earlier and a bottle of water.

Daryl watched them from the floor, not quite ready to move with his heart still beating so hard. They rinsed the blood and grime off their wounded hand, bloodied water raining down on the corpses below in a macabre baptism. They patted the wound dry then began chewing on the herb. They ground it to a paste between their teeth, mixing the fibrous grains with their saliva before spitting it on their injured hand and spreading it evenly. Their face was screwed up in a disgusted concentration. They cleared their throat then spit some leftover yarrow over the side of the blind.

“Yucky,” they said simply.

Daryl laughed at that. “Yucky,” he repeated. “That your professional opinion, doc?”

Finn threw the bloodied cloth down at Daryl’s face. “My doctorate was gonna be in history, jackass. But yeah, doctor says yucky.” They laughed together, both in relief of nerves but also the absurdity of ‘yucky.’ The blood was fine, the viscera of others and the smell of rotted flesh didn’t earn a ‘yucky.’ But the wet herb paste did.

Finn dug through their bag with their free hand before producing a roll of fabric bandages. It became clear that they were using their off hand as they fumbled clumsily to wrap their wound.

Daryl didn’t know why he was moved to speak, likely because he’s been the one to cause their scrape. But he gestured from the floor, saying, “Want some help?”

Finn looked surprised, but answered, “Yeah, that’d be great actually.” They scooted to sit cross legged next to him, extending their hand. Taking the bandages, Daryl began to wrap their hand. They winced once or twice when he pulled too tight but otherwise sat still, which was a feat in itself.

Finn watched intently as his hands deftly wound the cloth between their fingers. His hand was still bloodied from when they’d grasped it earlier; his fingertips stained the bandages slightly as he wrapped. They watched the warped spirals, christened with their own blood, given by another, as they engulfed the weeping wound. It still stung slightly, but nothing serious. Daryl tied off the end of the bandage. When he’d finished, he rotated their arm, checking how the bandages fared during movement. He grunted and dropped their hand.

Finn flexed their fingers and rolled their wrist. “Thanks,” they said as Daryl took his place against the opposite wall.

He grunted again in response. Finn rolled over to the ledge, sticking their head out a bit. Below them, the throng of corpses moaned and shook the ladder.

“Welp,” Finn said, “guess we’re here for a while. This sucks massive dick.” They rolled on their back and sighed dramatically as they sat up to begin examining the blind further. It was old with creaky wood and a low ceiling. Finn could stand up just fine, but Daryl would likely have to hunch a bit. The windows and door were obscured by foliage, and a pretty extensive spiderweb was strung in the corner above Daryl. A small ledge held two partially used boxes of bullets and duck lure that looked homemade. They picked it up and blew into it, the subsequent noise sounding more like a broken recorder than a duck.

Daryl shot them a look.

“I won’t blow it again. I was just curious,” they said, packing the bullets in their bag.

“Yer loud is what you are,” Daryl grumbled. “And you ain’t even holdin that right.”

Finn considered the call still in their hand. “You want it then? It should be with someone who knows how to use it.” They walked the few steps over to him and offered it down.

Daryl took it after a moment and pocketed it. He hadn’t brought a bag of his own; this was supposed to be a brief foray. Finn looked down at him still, eyes studying as always. He began to fidget under their gaze.

“Told you you were gonna call walkers towards us,” he said after a moment.

Finn scoffed, seemingly shaken from their staring stupor. “Oh don’t even start. I wasn’t being that loud. Enough to call one or two stragglers, sure but not all those. They were already there.”

“Whatever makes you feel better.”

“Don’t be a douche. Or I won’t tell you about the spider on your shoulder,” Finn said as they turned away to search the crate in the opposite corner.

Daryl’s head whipped to his shoulder. Perched there was a little brown spider the size of a grape. He quickly swiped it off, yelling in surprise before shooting to his feet. He hit his head on the ceiling as he backed away from the corner. He hissed and swore, rubbing the sore spot.

“Guard dog turns to a puppy around spiders then,” Finn said as they sifted through the contents of the crate. “Noted.”

Daryl’s face reddened. It had been a bit of an overreaction to the spider. He saw it on the floor trying to reorient itself. It wasn’t anything poisonous, just a bit big. Not that getting bit by it would be pleasant, just not lethal. Daryl heard the clinking of glass then. Finn pulled a half empty bottle of whiskey from the crate with an emphatic “oh hell yeah.”

They stood up and patted Daryl’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, puppy. Me and Jack Daniel here will protect you from the spiders.”

Daryl felt his stomach flip and his face heat. His heart still raced from the momentary spike of adrenaline from the spider. He watched as Finn removed the cap from the bottle before sniffing it. Shrugging, they took a swig. Daryl watched their throat bob as they swallowed, and he had to look away. His head already swam with thoughts that he shouldn’t be having. He really didn’t like the way his stomach tightened when they called him puppy.

Finn sat in the door opening, one foot dangling off the side and the other propped against the frame. The red light of sunset outlined their frame, casting their silhouette across the floor. Daryl watched as they took another sip from the bottle, then muttered something he couldn’t hear before pouring a bit off the side of the blind. They then extended the bottle in his direction.

“Cheers and all that,” they said.

“Ain’t really the best time to get lit,” he said.

Finn snorted. “Now’s the perfect time. We’re gonna be stuck here for hours, I’m already bored, and you’re not much of a conversationalist.” They slid the bottle slowly in his direction. “Live a little.”

He scoffed. “Ain’t about livin. It’s bout surviving.” He grabbed the bottle anyway and took a swig as he sat.

Finn considered that for a moment. “Well what’s the point of surviving if there’s nothing to live for? There’s not much that makes me feel human. So why not live for the things that do?” They grabbed the bottle back. “Alcohol is one of those things. Makes me feel less like a computer. Slows my brain down. Quiets my thoughts.”

“Got anything that quiets your mouth?” Daryl grumbled.

Finn laughed at that. They were always fucking laughing, even when he was trying to be rude. It pissed him off.

“Oh sure,” Finn responded. “Pop a tit or a dick in my mouth, and I’ll be quiet enough.” Finn took another sip from the bottle, watching with a smirk as Daryl’s face reddened. They chuckled as they passed the bottle.

Daryl grabbed the bottle roughly and took a big gulp. He braced himself for another comment, but it didn’t come. Instead, Finn just watched him with that dissecting gaze of theirs, cataloging the way his arm moved, how he held the bottle, little bits of information that they would fit into the picture of him they had painted in their head. Everything was analysis, everything was data, and their brain wanted to store all of it. Daryl felt his skin crawl under their eyes. He extended the bottle to give them a distraction. They took it and began to hum a tune, eyes never leaving him however. He shifted uncomfortably.

“Quit fuckin starin,” he said, grabbing his bloodied cloth off the floor and fidgeting with it.

“Oh bite me,” Finn replied. “You’re the one who wanted me to be quiet. You can’t be pissed at how I keep myself quiet too. Unless you’re offering a tit to occupy my mouth, you either have to deal with the talking or the staring.”

They took another long sip from the bottle, clearly upset. They turned away from him then, both feet dangling off the side of the blind, head leaned against the frame to watch the last dregs of sunlight disappear. It was dark now, and it would be getting colder too. Daryl’s fingers were already starting to feel the cold. He watched as Finn began to sway to a tune they sang softly. They wordlessly extended the bottle back toward him without turning. It was nearly empty now. He took half of what remained.

“You’re gonna fall,” Daryl found himself saying after a while.

Finn stilled with an angry huff. They backed away from the ledge and rounded on Daryl.

“Are you gonna have a problem with every fucking thing I do?” They stalked over to him, bending to snatch the bottle out of his hand. They finished the contents before turning and throwing the bottle out the window with a grunt. Daryl heard it shatter against an adjacent tree. Finn dropped to sit next to him then, falling in a huff and dragging their bag over. They muttered emphatically under their breath. Something about bratty fucking puppies being so needy. Daryl caught a whine in his throat before it slipped out. The alcohol boiled his core, and his head reeled. All he could do was stare.

Finn pulled a thin blanket from their pack, unfurling it over their legs. As they fussed about getting comfortable, they noticed his staring.

“Fucking what now?” They threw their hands up in exasperation. “Is the blanket the wrong color or some shit? Is the way I’m sitting bothering you?”

Daryl cleared his throat, looking away. He could feel them fuming. He didn’t know what to say. Thankfully, the alcohol did.

“Nothin. I just… it’s… you said… things. Makes my brain feel funny.”

Ah the eloquence of inebriated honesty. Finn seemed to understand though. Their eyebrows scrunched in confusion before raising in surprised understanding.

“Oh. You like being called puppy,” they said plainly, as if discussing the weather.

Daryl could feel his face flushing. He was vaguely aware that he was nodding, and he cursed the whiskey in his system. He wrung his bloody cloth in his hands, feeling shame course through him. He was sure Finn would call him a freak or a loser or whatever. His chest felt tight.

“If that’s all it is, you don’t gotta look so sad about it,” Finn said.

Daryl made a noise of surprise. “That ain’t weird to you or nothin?”

Finn laughed. “I’m the one who mentioned it first.” They paused, noticing the apprehension still lingering on his face. “No Daryl. It’s not weird. People are into all kinds of shit. It’s nothing to feel bad over. I know people into way weirder shit. Hell, I’m into way weirder shit.”

Daryl shifted, biting at a nail. He grunted an acknowledgment, not quite sure what to say. He’d anticipated disgust, reproach, hostility even. He didn’t know what to do with benign acceptance. He chanced a glance out of the corner of his eye. Finn studied him as always, but there was a softness in their face he couldn’t place. He was glad for the mostly darkened state of night. He cleared his throat.

“Don’t tell nobody though,” he said. He worried at the cloth in his hands again. He wasn’t thrilled that Finn knew in the first place, or that he himself knew now; he didn’t need the rest of the group making fun of him.

Finn smiled. “Your secret’s safe with me.” They eyed the cloth being rung through his hands. “What color you gonna choose this time? Now that your orange is mostly the color of Finn blood?”

Daryl huffed a laugh at that. “Whichever one don’t have a freak meanin behind it,” he replied.

“Gonna be hard pressed to find one like that,” Finn said, adjusting their blanket to extend over Daryl’s legs too. He hadn’t noticed how cold he was getting until then.

“Which one do you think then?” He asked, scooting an inch closer, consolidating the blanket.

Finn thought for a moment, their shoulder now brushing against Daryl’s.

“Go back to rust,” they finally said. “Cowboy fits you I think.”

Daryl smiled a bit. He could feel his face flush, but not as violent as before, more a gentle pink. “Ight,” he said, relaxing fully against the wall. The body heat radiating from Finn’s shoulder mixed with the warmth of the alcohol still in his system like a sleepy siren song. He yawned.

Finn nudged him slightly. “You get some sleep. I’ll wake you up if anything happens.”

He shouldn’t have been surprised; Finn always volunteered for late night watch. “You sure?” He asked.

They nodded. “Yeah. I’ll be the guard dog this time,” they said, cracking a smile. Daryl just rolled his eyes and huffed a laugh as he shifted into a more comfortable position. “Goodnight, Daryl,” Finn said.

“Night,” he replied.

He didn’t sleep right away; his mind was far too tumultuous for that. He didn’t know how to feel or what to think about anything quite frankly. What he did know, however, is that he fell asleep eventually. He knew this because he awoke hours later to sunlight slanting through the windows and a quiet hum close to his ear. He quickly became aware that his head and fallen to rest on Finn’s shoulder at some point while he slept. He straightened up quickly, alerting them to the fact that he was now awake. Their humming stopped suddenly.

“Mornin,” they said.

Daryl grunted a response, looking down and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“All the moaning and groaning from the walkers stopped a few hours ago. I’m assuming the crowd dispersed a bit,” Finn said as they stood to stretch.

“You’re assuming? What? You didn’t check?” Daryl asked.

Finn peered over the side of the blind. “Yea there’s only two or three now. And no, I didn’t check. You were asleep, and I didn’t want to wake you. You looked peaceful for once.”

Daryl felt a tightness in his throat. “Whatever,” was all he could get out. He balled up Finn’s blanket and offered it over as they packed their bag. He felt how cold their fingers were when they took it, but made no mention of it.

He went down the ladder first, knocking over one of the walkers that still lingered at the bottom. Finn followed once he was on the ground. Daryl led the way back after that, only turning occasionally to make sure Finn was still there. He heard them most of the time, while they hummed or sang softly or recited any of the passages they had memorized. Only every so often, when there was a pause between songs and soliloquies, Daryl turned to check on them, making sure they were lost in thought only and not physically lost.

They made it back to the campsite in a little over an hour. They updated everyone on what had happened, and Finn got their chance to sleep in their car with Nova curled up next to them. They woke in the mid afternoon and went about their current task of making warmer things for the coming months. They’d raided a craft store a few weeks back, and the trunk of the car held more yarn and fabric than food at this point. At one point, Daryl returned to camp with a rabbit caught in a snare. When he crouched to field strip it, Finn caught a look at his back pocket.

They let out a breathy chuckle. There, in his back left pocket, was his original rust bandana from months ago. Daryl turned at the sound of their laugh. Finn gave him a knowing look, eyes trailing lower to the bandana then back up to his. Daryl turned red and returned quickly to his rabbit. Finn laughed again.

He really was cute when he was flustered.

#throws this into the abyss #daryl posting #the second library of Alexandria #the walking dead #daryl dixon #daryl dixon fanfiction #daryl dixon x ftm reader #daryl dixon x reader #bottom daryl dixon #daryl dixon x oc #hanky code

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mcrdvcks · 7 months ago

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Sweet Dreams - Chapter 1

Series Summary: Alexandria Sokolova spent 15 years with HYDRA, ever since her parents and brother were killed in front of her when she was 3. She was raised to be a soldier; an assassin. But now, faced with coming to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, she has to come to terms that there are people around her who don't want to hurt her, people who actually care about her.

But recognizing that is harder than it seems, especially with a teacher like Logan Howlett, who seems to care more about her than he lets on.

Just because she's currently safe from HYDRA's grasp now, doesn't mean she's safe forever.

Chapter Summary: The Avengers bring Alexandria to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.

Word Count: 8.9k+

Pairing: Logan (X-Men) x Original Female Character (platonic relationship)

Notes: and hello! welcome to this series! this is going to be a long one, since there are going to be three parts, this story, another series based around 'logan (2017)' and another based on 'deadpool and wolverine'.

but let's get a few things out of the way. this is NOT a romance with alexandria and logan. this is about them slowly recognizing they are more alike than different, and how they both eventually let their guard down around each other. if you will, it's a 'slow burn' father-daughter relationship.

another thing, alexandria's powers are as followed: dream-weaver; enter and manipulate dreams and telekinesis. you'll understand a bit more as you read on.

another, another thing, this is an au, the characters of jean, scott, kitty, jubilee, and others mentioned are TEENAGERS. they are students in high-school level classes as the X-Mansion, not adults. some of these characters may seem ooc, and if we're being honest it's because i've only watched first class-dark pheonix, the deadpool movies, wolverine origins, and logan. i tried watching the original x-men movies but i ended up falling asleep (oops). so if these characters are written wrong, it's my fault, but we are sticking with the ooc tag.

Series Masterlist → Chapter 2

AO3 Link For Chapter

Alexandria didn’t much care for whatever they were taking her. The Avengers, that is. Being saved from HYDRA did warrant them a ‘thank you’, but after a few days of staying at the Avengers Compound, they decided that it wasn’t a “good fit”.

Meaning a few things: one, they were scared of her, which was unlikely considering her powers weren’t all that terrifying, or two, they simply didn’t want to deal with a 17-year-old girl with trauma dating back 14 years ago.

The only three people who talked to her like a normal person was Wanda, Bucky, and Natasha, which she appreciated greatly.

“Coming up on the school.” Tony’s voice sounded out through the cockpit of the Quinjet.

Alexandria rolled her eyes, this all seemed like too much. She was a kid, just rescued from a terrorist organization and now she was supposed to go to school?

Was this a fucking joke?

Alexandria glared out the window as the Quinjet descended towards the sprawling grounds of the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. The idea of school felt absurd after everything she’d been through. She crossed her arms, sinking deeper into her seat, eyes narrowed.

“Hey, I know it’s not ideal, but this place might be good for you,” Natasha said, catching Alexandria’s expression. She leaned over from her seat across the aisle, her voice gentle but firm.

“Yeah, a place full of more people who can do freaky stuff. Great,” Alexandria muttered.

Bucky, seated next to Natasha, turned to her. “It’s not just about powers. You’ll meet people who understand you, maybe even help you find some peace.”

Alexandria snorted, her skepticism apparent. “Peace? That’s rich coming from you.”

Bucky’s face tightened for a moment, but he nodded. “Touché. But it’s worth a shot.”

Tony’s voice came through again. “We’re landing. Let’s not make this harder than it needs to be.”

The Quinjet touched down smoothly, and the ramp lowered. Charles Xavier was waiting, a welcoming smile on his face, his wheelchair positioned at the edge of the landing zone. Beside him stood a younger man, wearing glasses, a flannel shirt, a tie, and a white lab coat.

Alexandria hesitated at the top of the ramp, glancing back at the Avengers. Wanda gave her an encouraging nod, while Natasha and Bucky looked on with reassuring expressions.

“Come on, kid,” Tony said, gesturing for her to follow. “Let’s get this over with.”

With a resigned sigh, Alexandria descended the ramp. Charles rolled forward to meet her, his eyes kind and understanding.

“Welcome, Alexandria,” he said warmly. “I’m Charles Xavier, and this is Hank McCoy. We’re here to help you.”

Hank offered a friendly smile. “Hi there. We’re really glad to have you here.”

Alexandria nodded stiffly, feeling the weight of their expectations. “Thanks, I guess.”

Charles seemed unfazed by her reluctance. “Why don’t we show you around? Hank, could you give Alexandria a tour while I have a word with our friends?”

“Sure thing,” Hank replied. “Come on, Alexandria, I’ll show you the school.”

As they walked away, Alexandria glanced back to see Charles engaging in a serious conversation with the Avengers. She couldn’t hear the words, but the tone suggested they were discussing her future.

“So, this place is like a school for mutants?” Alexandria asked, trying to make sense of it all.

“Exactly,” Hank said. “We offer a safe environment for young mutants to learn and grow. You’ll find a lot of people here who understand what you’ve been through.”

“Doubt it.” she muttered. Part of her didn’t even believe she was a so-called ‘mutant’. What she was however, was an experiment.

Hank chuckled softly as he led Alexandria through the halls of the Xavier Institute. “Well, I can’t promise you that everyone will understand perfectly, but you’re not alone in feeling out of place.”

“Yeah, right,” Alexandria replied, glancing around at the impressive but unfamiliar surroundings. “I’m supposed to just fit in here after everything that’s happened?”

“Everyone here has their own struggles and history,” Hank said. “Some are more recent than others, but we all find a way to make it work.”

They passed by a few classrooms, and Alexandria noticed students engaged in various activities. Some were reading, others were practicing what looked like combat techniques. It was clear this was not a typical school.

“Here’s the gym,” Hank said, opening a door to a large, well-equipped space. “It’s not just for physical training. It’s a place where students can test their abilities and find out what they’re capable of.”

Alexandria’s eyes flicked over the gym, taking in the equipment and the few students who were sparring. “Sounds like a lot of work.”

“Training can be intense, but it’s also important,” Hank said. “And there’s more to this place than just classes. You’ll find people who become like family.”

“Family, huh?” Alexandria muttered. “That’s something I’ve never had.”

Hank looked at her, his expression thoughtful. “You’re not alone here. Many of us have found a sense of family and belonging. It takes time, but it happens.”

They continued the tour, moving to the dormitory area where Alexandria would be staying. Hank showed her the common areas and her room, which was modest but comfortable.

“This is where you’ll be staying,” Hank said, opening the door to a small, neatly arranged room. “It’s not much, but it’s yours.”

Alexandria walked in, setting her bag down on the bed. “Great. Just what I always wanted. A room of my own.”

Hank smiled faintly. “It’s a start. And if you need anything or have questions, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Sure,” Alexandria said, her tone flat. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

As Hank left her to settle in, Alexandria stared out the window, her thoughts racing. The enormity of her situation was starting to sink in. This was supposed to be a new beginning, but it felt more like another form of confinement.

She stared down at the baggy jeans she was currently wearing, something that probably came from deep inside Wanda’s closet.

Alexandria wasn’t much for talking, nor did she know what to do. Usually, she was only let out of her cell for lab-time, which lasted the entire day, before being thrown back into her cell.

She sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the small, framed picture of the school grounds that hung on the wall. The room, though modest, was far from the sterile, cold environment she’d been accustomed to. But that didn’t make it feel any less isolating. The quiet was oppressive, and she found herself fidgeting with the hem of her shirt, a nervous habit she’d developed over the years.

A knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts. She stood up quickly, her pulse quickening. It was probably someone from the staff, here to check on her or give her some new set of instructions.

“Hey,” a voice called through the door. “It’s me, Kitty. Mind if I come in?”

Alexandria hesitated for a moment before opening the door. A girl about her age stood there, wearing a casual hoodie and jeans. Her brown hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, and her eyes were a warm brown, filled with curiosity.

“Hi,” Kitty said with a friendly smile. “Charles sent me to see if you needed anything. I’m one of the students here.”

“Uh, sure,” Alexandria said, stepping aside to let her in. “I didn’t know anyone was coming by.”

Kitty stepped into the room, looking around with a mixture of interest and sympathy. “I know it’s probably a lot to take in right now. I remember my first few days here weren’t exactly easy.”

Alexandria sat back down on her bed, feeling a bit self-conscious. “It’s... different. I’ve never been to a place like this before.”

Kitty nodded, taking a seat on the small desk chair. “Yeah, it’s a lot to get used to. But it’s a good place. People here care about each other. I know it might not feel that way right now, but it does get better.”

“Do you really think so?” Alexandria asked, her skepticism evident.

“Absolutely,” Kitty replied earnestly. “I know it sounds cliché, but this place is like a family for a lot of us. You might not feel it yet, but you’re not alone.”

Alexandria shrugged, not entirely convinced. “I guess we’ll see.”

Kitty tilted her head, studying Alexandria for a moment. “You’ve probably been through a lot, right? With HYDRA and all that?”

“More than you could imagine,” Alexandria muttered. She hadn’t talked much about her past, even to the Avengers. It was easier to keep it all inside, where it couldn’t hurt anyone else.

Kitty’s expression softened. “If you ever want to talk, I’m here. Sometimes it helps to get things off your chest.”

“Thanks,” Alexandria said, though her tone suggested she wasn’t ready to take her up on the offer just yet.

Kitty stood up, giving her a reassuring smile. “Well, I won’t keep you. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay and see if you needed anything. If you do, just let me or any of the staff know.”

“Alright,” Alexandria said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Kitty nodded and made her way to the door. “See you around, Alexandria.”

As Kitty left, Alexandria sat back down on her bed, feeling the quiet settle around her again. The small bit of interaction had been a welcome distraction, but it also left her feeling more alone than before. She wasn’t used to people reaching out, and it made her wary.

And because she was wary, she spent the rest of the day in her room trying to figure out what the object on her desk was. It looked almost like a small, compact box, with many wires connecting to it.

After hours of trying to understand, night fell, and she needed a break. Alexandria grabbed a pack of cigarettes and a lighter before walking through the empty halls.

Finally, Alexandria stepped through a side door and found herself in a large, open field surrounded by trees. The night air was cool, and the quiet was a welcome contrast to the clamor of her thoughts. She lit her cigarette, the tip glowing softly in the darkness, and took a long drag. The smoke curled around her, blending with the shadows.

She leaned against the door frame, looking out at the expanse of grass and trees. The quiet of the night felt different here, less oppressive than the silence of her room. Maybe it was the openness, or maybe it was the fact that she was alone, and for the moment, she didn't have to pretend to be okay.

"Smoking's bad for you, you know," a gruff voice said from behind her.

Alexandria tensed, turning to see Logan standing there, someone Hank had mentioned to her, his arms crossed over his chest. His expression was hard to read, but his eyes held a hint of curiosity.

She took another drag from her cigarette, exhaling slowly. "So I've heard."

Logan stepped closer, his gaze fixed on her. "You planning to make this a habit, or just tonight?"

"Does it matter?" she replied, her tone defensive.

"Maybe not to you," Logan said, "but to the people around here, it does. They care about what happens to you."

Alexandria let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, right. I'm just another problem for them to solve."

"You're not a problem," Logan said, his voice firm. "You're a kid who's been through hell and needs a chance to find herself again."

“Find myself?” she scoffed. “There’s nothing to find.” Alexandria turned to face Logan, who lit a cigar, much bigger than her cigarette. She scoffed again. “You’re one to talk.”

Logan took a long drag from his cigar, the end flaring bright in the dark. “I’m not here to lecture you, bub. Just saying it like it is.”

Alexandria rolled her eyes, taking another drag from her cigarette. “Yeah, well, I don’t need your advice.”

Logan’s gaze was steady, unyielding. “You might not want it, but you sure as hell need it.”

“Why do you even care?” she snapped. “You don’t know me.”

Logan exhaled a plume of smoke, his eyes never leaving hers. “No, I don’t. But I’ve seen enough kids like you to know when someone’s hurting. And I’m here to tell you, you don’t have to go through it alone.”

She rolled her eyes, dropping her cigarette and stomping out the light. “I’d much rather be alone.”

Logan watched as Alexandria stomped out her cigarette, the ember disappearing into the grass. The silence that followed was heavy, and he could see the tension in her posture. He took another drag from his cigar, letting the smoke curl around him before letting it out in a slow stream.

"You think pushing people away is gonna make things better?" Logan asked, his voice rough but not unkind.

Alexandria didn’t respond immediately, her gaze fixed on the dark field ahead. “It’s easier this way. Less chance of someone screwing things up.”

“Yeah, 'cause being alone always solves everything,” Logan replied sarcastically. “Look, I get it. You’re used to keeping people at arm’s length. But if you keep shutting everyone out, you’re never gonna get what you need.”

“What I need is to be left alone,” Alexandria snapped. “I’ve survived this long on my own. I don’t need a bunch of strangers telling me what to do.”

Logan took a few steps closer, the crunch of his boots on the gravel breaking the silence. “And how’s that working out for you? You ever stop to think that maybe you’re just scared to let anyone in?”

Alexandria shot him a sharp look. “I’m not scared. I’m practical. I know what happens when you let people get close.”

“And what’s that?” Logan asked, his voice low and steady.

“They get hurt,” Alexandria said flatly. “Or worse, they end up hurting you.”

Logan shook his head. “You’re making it sound like everyone’s out to get you. That’s not true. Some people actually want to help, but they can’t do it if you keep pushing them away.”

“Everyone is out to get me. I let someone in before and it didn’t end so well for them.” She shook her head gently, removing the graphic, bloody images from her head.

The anger and pain inside her were like a storm, churning and relentless. She didn’t know how to let anyone in, how to trust after everything she’d been through. HYDRA had stripped her of that ability, leaving her with nothing but suspicion and fear.

Logan sighed, taking another drag from his cigar. “Look, kid, I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy. Hell, it’s probably gonna be the hardest thing you’ve ever done. But you’ve got a chance here, a real shot at something better. Don’t throw it away because you’re scared.”

Alexandria glanced at him, her expression softening ever so slightly. There was something in Logan’s eyes, a flicker of understanding that made her want to believe him. But the walls she’d built were high and thick, and she wasn’t sure she could tear them down.

“I’ll think about it,” she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

Logan nodded, his gaze steady. “That’s all I’m asking. Just give it a shot.”

With that, he turned and walked back toward the mansion, leaving Alexandria alone with her thoughts. She watched him go, feeling a strange mix of frustration and hope. Maybe, just maybe, there was a way out of the darkness that had consumed her life for so long. But it would take more than a few words from a gruff stranger to convince her.

She stayed outside for a while longer, the cool night air helping to clear her mind. When she finally went back inside, the mansion was quiet, most of the residents already asleep. She made her way to her room, the events of the day playing over and over in her mind.

As she lay in bed, she thought about what Logan had said. She wasn’t ready to trust, not yet. But maybe, in time, she could find a way to let someone in. For now, she would take it one day at a time, trying to navigate this new world she’d been thrust into.

---

The following morning, Alexandria awoke to a soft knock on her door. She groggily sat up, rubbing her eyes as the door opened slightly, and Kitty peeked her head in.

“Hey, sorry to wake you,” Kitty said with an apologetic smile. “But I thought you might want some breakfast. We have a pretty good spread in the dining hall.”

Alexandria stretched and nodded, still not fully awake. “Yeah, sure. Thanks, Kitty.”

“No problem,” Kitty replied. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

After quickly changing into some clothes that fit her better, Alexandria joined Kitty in the hallway. The two girls walked to the dining hall together, the atmosphere between them more relaxed than it had been the previous day.

“So, how was your first night?” Kitty asked as they walked.

Alexandria shrugged. “It was okay, I guess. A lot to take in.”

Kitty nodded in understanding. “Yeah, I get that. But trust me, it gets better. The people here are really great once you get to know them.”

When they reached the dining hall, Alexandria was surprised to see how lively it was. Students were chatting, laughing, and eating together, the room filled with a sense of camaraderie and belonging. It was a stark contrast to the isolation she’d known for so long.

As they grabbed their food and sat down, Alexandria couldn’t help but feel a bit out of place. But Kitty was friendly and patient, introducing her to some of the other students and helping her feel more at ease.

Alexandria looked at the food on her tray. Some of it was colorful, in fact, it all was. There were red triangular objects on her tray with a green leafy top, a fluffy golden-brown circle, and a small cup of amber liquid.

Alexandria stared at the food on her tray, her brow furrowed in confusion. She poked at the red triangular object with a fork, then glanced over at Kitty, who was already digging into her own breakfast.

“What’s this?” Alexandria asked, holding up the fork with the red object speared on the end.

Kitty looked over and grinned. “That’s a strawberry. Haven’t you had one before?”

Alexandria shook her head, eyeing the strawberry warily. “Not that I remember.”

Kitty’s expression softened. “You should try it. They’re pretty good.”

With some hesitation, Alexandria took a small bite of the strawberry. The sweet and slightly tangy taste was foreign to her, but not unpleasant. She nodded slowly, chewing thoughtfully. “It’s... different.”

Kitty laughed. “Yeah, in a good way, though. That round thing is a pancake, and the syrup is for pouring on top. Trust me, breakfast here is usually a highlight.”

Alexandria mimicked Kitty’s actions, pouring a small amount of syrup onto the pancake and taking a cautious bite. The flavors were rich and comforting, and she found herself enjoying it more than she expected.

As they ate, the din of the dining hall continued around them. Alexandria noticed how the other students seemed at ease, joking around and chatting as if they didn’t have a care in the world. It was strange to see so many people with powers like hers acting so... normal.

“So, what’s on the agenda today?” Alexandria asked, trying to sound casual but feeling a bit lost.

“Well,” Kitty began, “after breakfast, there’s usually some training sessions. You’ll probably have an orientation with Professor Xavier and maybe some one-on-one time with one of the teachers to figure out where you’re at with your abilities.”

Alexandria nodded, pushing her half-finished pancake around on her plate. “Sounds like fun,” she muttered sarcastically.

Kitty smiled sympathetically. “It might not be as bad as you think. Plus, it’s good to know what you can do. There are some pretty cool things you could learn here.”

Alexandria took a sip of her juice, trying to ignore the bustling energy of the room. “Yeah, well, we'll see.”

Kitty looked around at the other students who were beginning to head off for their various activities. “Hey, you want me to show you around a bit more before the orientation starts? I can give you the rundown on some of the places you might want to know about.”

Alexandria shrugged, finishing off her pancake. “Sure, why not. Couldn’t hurt to know what I’m dealing with.”

Kitty led her out of the dining hall, guiding her through the maze of corridors. “So, that’s the library over there. It’s got a lot of books on pretty much everything—powers, history, science. It’s a good place to catch up on some reading.”

Alexandria glanced over. “Got it. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“And over here is the common room,” Kitty continued. “It’s where everyone hangs out, watches TV, plays games. It’s pretty chill.”

Alexandria raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like a place I’ll avoid.”

Kitty laughed softly. “Fair enough. Oh, and there’s a small gym off to the side. It’s not as big as the main one, but it’s good for some light workouts.”

As they walked, Alexandria’s gaze drifted to the various students passing by, their casual conversations and easy smiles making her feel like an outsider. She didn’t belong here, and she wasn’t sure if she ever would.

“So, how do you get on with the teachers?” Alexandria asked, trying to shift the focus of the conversation away from her discomfort.

Kitty’s expression turned thoughtful. “They’re pretty great, actually. Professor Xavier is really understanding, and Hank is super smart. There are a few others who are great too, but it depends on what you need.”

“Yeah? And what about Logan?” Alexandria asked, her tone a little sharper than she intended.

Kitty hesitated before answering. “Logan’s... Logan. He’s got his own way of doing things, but he means well. You’ll get used to him.”

“I met him the other night,” Alexandria said, her voice dropping to a murmur. “He didn’t seem all that interested in being nice.”

Kitty nodded. “That’s kind of his style. He’s not exactly a touchy-feely kind of guy, but he’s got a good heart. If you ever need anything, though, he might surprise you.”

“Yeah, I’m not holding my breath,” Alexandria muttered, more to herself than to Kitty.

Kitty gave her a sympathetic look. “Just keep an open mind. Things might not seem great now, but you might find some unexpected allies.”

As they reached the main area of the mansion where students gathered before heading to their various activities, Kitty turned to Alexandria. “I think we’ve covered the basics. How about we head to the training room? That’s where you’ll be meeting with Professor Xavier.”

Alexandria nodded, her mood lifting slightly at the prospect of getting some structure to her day. “Alright, lead the way.”

Kitty guided her through a series of hallways until they arrived at the training room. The door was slightly ajar, and the sounds of conversation and movement filtered through.

“Here we are,” Kitty said. “I’ll leave you to it. Good luck, Alexandria.”

“Thanks, Kitty,” Alexandria replied, watching as Kitty walked away. She took a deep breath and pushed open the door, stepping into the room.

Inside, Professor Xavier was waiting, his wheelchair positioned near a set of training equipment. He looked up as Alexandria entered, his expression warm and welcoming.

“Good morning, Alexandria,” he said. “I trust you’re settling in?”

Alexandria nodded, though she didn’t quite meet his gaze. “Yeah, I guess. Kitty gave me a quick tour.”

“That’s good to hear,” Professor Xavier said. “Today, I’d like to start with an assessment of your abilities. It’ll help us understand what you can do and how we can best support you.”

Alexandria braced herself, feeling a mix of nerves and irritation. “Alright. What do you need me to do?”

Professor Xavier gestured to an open area of the room. “Why don’t we start with a demonstration of your powers? If you’re comfortable, show me what you can do with dream-weaving and telekinesis.”

Alexandria took a deep breath and moved to the center of the room. She closed her eyes, focusing on her ability to manipulate dreams. She’d rarely demonstrated her powers to anyone outside of HYDRA, and the idea of doing it now made her uneasy.

She visualized a simple scenario- a peaceful meadow with gentle breezes and blooming flowers. The air around her seemed to shimmer slightly as the dreamscape began to take shape. When she opened her eyes, she saw that a small, serene meadow had appeared in the room, though it was more a projection than a physical space.

“Impressive,” Professor Xavier said, observing the scene with interest. “And what about telekinesis?”

Alexandria moved her hand slightly, and a nearby object- a small training ball- levitated off the ground, spinning slowly in the air, covered in her blue telekinetic hue. She held it there for a few moments before setting it back down.

“That’s very good,” Professor Xavier said. “You’ve got a strong control over your abilities. We’ll work on refining them and exploring how they can be used in various situations.”

Alexandria crossed her arms, still feeling the unease bubbling beneath the surface. “And what happens if I don’t want to use them?”

Professor Xavier’s expression remained calm, but there was a hint of concern in his eyes. “That’s entirely up to you. Our goal here isn’t to force you into anything, Alexandria. We’re here to help you understand your powers and give you the tools to decide how you want to use them, or not use them.”

She hesitated, her gaze drifting to the floor. “Yeah, well, understanding them didn’t really work out for me before.”

“Your experiences were under very different circumstances,” Professor Xavier said gently. “But you’re safe here, and you have the freedom to choose your path. No one here will push you into anything you’re not comfortable with.”

Alexandria looked up, meeting his gaze for a moment. There was sincerity in his words, and for the first time since she’d arrived, she felt a tiny spark of hope that maybe—just maybe—things could be different here.

“Alright,” she finally said, her voice a little softer. “What’s next?”

“We’ll take it one step at a time,” Professor Xavier said, his tone reassuring. “For now, I’d like you to get familiar with the training room and the equipment. You’ll be working with some of the other students, but if you ever need time alone, just let me or any of the teachers know.”

He led the way in his wheelchair to a different section of the training room, eerily familiar to the setup the Avengers had.

But she doesn’t like training rooms. Too many needles, wires, and electrodes attached to her and called ‘training’. It wasn’t training, it was torture. Studying her brainwaves, her movements, how her powers worked, it made her hate training.

While she’s partially sure there was none of that here, she still had to ask. Alexandria wrangled her hands before keeping them at her side, trying to seem normal and not at all disturbed. “There’s not… any- you know, electrodes or anything, is there?” she asked quietly.

Charles looked up at her, a hint of sadness in his eyes. It was the softest he had heard Alexandria’s voice since she arrived and the closest he had seen her act like her age. For a moment, he hesitated, weighing his words carefully.

“No, Alexandria,” he said gently, his tone reassuring. “There are no electrodes or anything of that sort here. This is a safe place for you to explore your abilities at your own pace. The only equipment you’ll use is designed to help you understand and control your powers better—nothing invasive, I promise.”

Alexandria nodded slowly, though the tension in her shoulders remained. “Okay,” she murmured, glancing around the room again. It was a lot to take in, but at least she wasn’t going to be hooked up to any machines. That was a relief.

Professor Xavier offered her a small, encouraging smile. “Would you like to try out some of the equipment now, or would you prefer to take a break and come back later?”

She hesitated, unsure of what she wanted. Part of her wanted to get it over with, to face whatever challenges were ahead, but another part of her just wanted to be alone, away from everything and everyone.

“I guess… I could try something small,” Alexandria finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Just to see what it’s like.”

“Of course,” Professor Xavier replied, nodding approvingly. “Why don’t we start with something simple? We have a training dummy over there,” he gestured to a humanoid figure across the room, “that’s designed to react to telekinetic force. You can try moving it, just to get a feel for your abilities in a controlled environment.”

Alexandria followed his gaze to the dummy, her expression unreadable. She wasn’t sure how she felt about this whole thing, but she figured it was better than sitting around doing nothing. At least it was a distraction.

She approached the dummy slowly, her steps hesitant. When she was close enough, she raised her hand and focused on the dummy, trying to summon the telekinetic energy within her. For a moment, nothing happened, and she felt a flicker of frustration.

Then, with a deep breath, she tried again. This time, a faint blue aura surrounded the dummy, and it lifted off the ground slightly, wobbling in the air.

“Good,” Professor Xavier encouraged from behind her. “Take your time, there’s no rush.”

Alexandria’s brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to maintain control over the dummy. It wasn’t as easy as she thought it would be, and she could feel her frustration growing. The dummy began to wobble more, and she clenched her fists, willing it to stay steady.

But her frustration got the better of her, and the dummy suddenly shot across the room, slamming into the wall with a loud crash. Alexandria flinched, her hands dropping to her sides as she took a step back, her heart pounding.

“Sorry,” she muttered, feeling a mix of anger and embarrassment.

“There’s no need to apologize,” Professor Xavier said calmly. “You’re doing well, Alexandria. It’s natural to have moments of frustration, especially when you’re trying something new. The important thing is that you’re trying.”

Alexandria didn’t respond, her gaze fixed on the floor. She hated feeling out of control, hated how her emotions seemed to dictate everything. It was a reminder of all the times she’d lost control in the past, with disastrous results.

Professor Xavier wheeled closer to her, his expression thoughtful. “Would you like to take a break? We can continue this later if you’re feeling overwhelmed.”

She shook her head, a stubborn look crossing her face. “No, I’m fine. I just… need a minute.”

“Take all the time you need,” Professor Xavier said softly. “There’s no pressure here, Alexandria. We’re here to help you, not to push you.”

Alexandria took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside her. She knew she couldn’t keep avoiding her powers forever, and maybe this was the best place to start figuring things out. But it was hard, harder than she’d expected.

“Okay,” she said after a moment, her voice steadier. “I’ll try again.”

“Whenever you’re ready,” Professor Xavier encouraged.

She took another deep breath and focused on the dummy again. This time, she tried to keep her emotions in check, to approach it with a calmer mindset. The blue aura returned, and the dummy lifted off the ground once more. It wobbled slightly, but this time she was able to keep it steady, holding it in the air for a few moments before gently lowering it back to the ground.

“Good job, Alexandria,” Professor Xavier said, a note of pride in his voice. “You’re making progress.”

She nodded, a small sense of accomplishment filling her. It wasn’t much, but it was something. Maybe, just maybe, she could get a handle on her powers after all.

“That should be good for today. I can have Kitty introduce you to some of the other students if you would like?” Charles asked.

Alexandria considered Professor Xavier’s suggestion, her mind still buzzing from the training session. Interacting with other students wasn’t high on her list of priorities, but she knew that isolating herself wasn’t going to help her in the long run. Still, the thought of making small talk or having to deal with people who would undoubtedly be curious about her past made her uneasy.

“I guess,” she said after a moment, shrugging. “It’s not like I have anything else to do.”

“Very well,” Professor Xavier replied with a nod. “I’ll have Kitty meet you outside the training room. She can introduce you to some of the others.”

Alexandria didn’t say anything, just nodded back, trying to suppress the anxiety that was bubbling up inside her. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but she figured she might as well get it over with.

“Before you go,” Professor Xavier added, his tone gentle but firm, “remember that you’re not alone here. It might feel overwhelming now, but you’ll find your place in time. Be patient with yourself.”

“Yeah,” Alexandria muttered, not entirely convinced but not wanting to argue either. “I’ll try.”

She turned and headed for the door, her footsteps echoing in the quiet training room. When she stepped outside, she found Kitty waiting for her, leaning against the wall with a friendly smile.

“Hey,” Kitty greeted, straightening up. “How’d it go?”

Alexandria shrugged. “It was fine, I guess. Just trying to figure things out.”

“That’s normal,” Kitty said, her voice light. “It takes time, but you’ll get there. Anyway, ready to meet some of the others?”

“I suppose,” Alexandria replied, her tone noncommittal. She wasn’t exactly looking forward to it, but she knew it was inevitable.

Kitty led her down the hallway, the sound of their footsteps the only noise between them for a moment. Alexandria could sense Kitty glancing at her occasionally, probably trying to gauge how she was feeling. She appreciated the effort, even if she wasn’t in the mood to talk about it.

“So,” Kitty began, breaking the silence, “I was thinking we could start with the common room. A lot of the students hang out there between classes and training sessions. It’s pretty laid-back.”

“Alright,” Alexandria said, keeping her responses short. She wasn’t trying to be rude, but she wasn’t sure how to engage in light conversation, especially with someone she barely knew.

When they reached the common room, Alexandria was struck by how relaxed everyone seemed. Students were scattered around the space, some playing video games, others watching TV, and a few just talking or reading.

“Over there’s Bobby,” Kitty said, nodding toward a guy who was absorbed in a video game. “He’s pretty chill, likes to freeze things.”

“Freeze things?” Alexandria asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, he’s got ice powers. Cool, right?” Kitty said with a grin.

“Sure,” Alexandria replied, trying to muster some enthusiasm but mostly feeling out of place.

“And that’s Jubilee,” Kitty continued, pointing out a girl with bright yellow sunglasses who was chatting animatedly with a couple of other students. “She’s a blast—literally. She can generate fireworks.”

“Fireworks,” Alexandria repeated, her tone flat. It sounded more like a party trick than a power, but she kept that thought to herself.

Kitty seemed to sense her unease and gave her a reassuring smile. “They’re all good people. It might take some time, but you’ll get to know them. And they’ll get to know you.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Alexandria muttered, not entirely convinced.

As they walked further into the room, a familiar figure caught Alexandria’s eye. Logan was sitting in a corner, his arms crossed and a scowl on his face as he watched the room with a look of vague irritation. He hadn’t noticed her yet, and Alexandria wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

“Logan’s over there,” Kitty said, following her gaze. “You two met, right?”

“Yeah,” Alexandria replied, her voice tight. “Briefly.”

Kitty hesitated, picking up on the tension in Alexandria’s tone. “He’s a bit rough around the edges, but he’s one of the best. He’s been through a lot, like you.”

Alexandria’s jaw tightened. She didn’t need anyone comparing her to Logan or anyone else. “I’m sure he’s great,” she said, her tone clipped.

Kitty glanced at her but didn’t push the subject. Instead, she gestured to a group of students who were chatting near the windows. “Those are some of the newer students. Might be easier to talk to them since they’re still figuring things out too.”

Alexandria looked over at the group, noticing how at ease they seemed with each other. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy. She hadn’t felt that kind of comfort around others in a long time, maybe ever.

“Maybe later,” she said, not ready to dive into socializing just yet.

Kitty nodded, understanding. “No rush. You can take your time.”

Alexandria looked over at the TV, a movie playing as a bunch of the students sat around the couch and the floors entranced by it.

“Oh, Scott likes to watch Star Wars, most of the time a lot of us end up joining in.” Kitty explained.

“What’s… Star Wars?” Alexandria asked slowly.

“It’s a movie- or well, a bunch of different movies and shows. It’s a franchise.”

Alexandria tilted her head at the large TV screen, currently a girl in an all-white dress kissed a dirty-blonde boy’s cheek before he swung them across some sort of room.

It was intriguing, or maybe that’s just because she’s never seen a movie.

Kitty noticed Alexandria’s gaze fixed on the TV screen, her curiosity evident. She gave her a gentle nudge, breaking the silence. “We can stay and watch it if you’d like. I’m sure Scott won’t mind. He’s a big geek about this stuff.”

Alexandria hesitated, glancing back at Kitty with a mixture of uncertainty and intrigue. “I’ve never really watched movies before.”

Kitty’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “Never? Well, this is a good place to start. Star Wars is pretty iconic, and it’s one of those things that a lot of people here are into.”

Alexandria looked back at the screen, where a space battle was unfolding amidst flashing lights and dramatic music. The idea of sitting down and watching a movie felt foreign, but also oddly appealing. “Alright,” she said finally. “I guess I can give it a try.”

Kitty smiled, leading her over to the group around the TV. Scott, a tall guy with a pair of glasses perched on his nose, glanced up from the screen as they approached. “Hey, Kitty! And, um, Alexandria, right?”

“Yeah, that’s me,” Alexandria replied, trying to sound more relaxed than she felt.

“Great to meet you properly,” Scott said with a friendly smile. “We’re just getting into one of the best parts. You’re welcome to join us.”

Alexandria nodded, taking a seat on the couch. The other students, already absorbed in the movie, barely glanced up, which was fine by her. She sank into the cushion, trying to focus on the action-packed scenes.

Kitty settled beside her, giving a small wave to Scott and the others. “I told her you’d be okay with us joining in.”

Scott nodded, adjusting his glasses as he turned back to the screen. “No problem at all. It’s always good to have more people to discuss the movie with. We’re in the middle of the epic lightsaber duel. It’s one of my favorite parts.”

As the movie progressed, Alexandria found herself drawn into the story. The special effects were unlike anything she had ever seen, and the characters seemed to be larger than life. She didn’t fully understand all the details yet, but there was something captivating about the narrative and the way the students reacted to it.

Kitty leaned over and whispered, “So, what do you think so far?”

“It’s… different,” Alexandria admitted, her eyes still fixed on the screen. “I can see why people like it.”

Kitty grinned. “Yeah, it’s pretty immersive. And there’s a whole series of these movies, plus spin-offs and shows. It’s a bit of a rabbit hole.”

Alexandria raised an eyebrow. “How many movies are there?”

“Quite a few,” Kitty said with a chuckle. “But you don’t have to watch them all at once. We can always catch up on more later if you’re interested.”

“Hold on, Kitty.” Scott said, “there’s a certain way it should be watched. Some will say release date order, some will say chronologically, but I say no to both. It should be Episode 4, 5, then 1, 2, 3, then 6.”

Alexandria’s eyes widened, “there’s… that many?”

“Well, technically more than that, but those are the ones that really count,” Scott said, his enthusiasm evident.

Alexandria leaned back on the couch, her eyes still glued to the screen. “I didn’t realize there was so much to it,” she said, her tone carrying a hint of amazement.

Kitty smiled. “Yeah, it can be a bit overwhelming at first, but it’s all part of the fun. You get to dive into this whole new universe.”

“You know what that means, right guys?” Scott asked.

A girl, sitting on the floor in front of Scott looked up at him, “Scott…” she gritted out, almost teasingly.

“Star Wars marathon!” Scott exclaimed.

Kitty leaned in to Alexandria as some of the kids groaned and others were amused. “That girl is Jean.” She gestured to the girl sitting in front of Scott, who was now rolling her eyes.

“Jean, huh?” Alexandria said, watching as Jean settled back into her spot on the floor, a bemused expression on her face.

“Yeah, she’s got some pretty impressive telepathic abilities,” Kitty said. “She’s one of the more powerful telepaths around here. But she’s cool.”

Alexandria raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite herself. She thought back to the cubed shaped thing on her desk, if Scott knew all about movies, then maybe he knew about… whatever that was.

“Um, Scott? What’s that thing on the desk? The… cubed thing?” Alexandria asked.

“That’s a computer.” He answered, shoveling popcorn into his mouth. “Do you know how to use it?”

She shook her head no.

Scott’s eyes widened in surprise. “You don’t know how to use a computer?” He looked at her with a mix of curiosity and concern. “It’s pretty basic. You can do a lot of things with it—surf the web, write documents, watch videos. But it takes some getting used to.”

Alexandria shrugged. “I’ve never seen one. What’s so special about it?”

Scott tilted his head, clearly intrigued by Alexandria’s unfamiliarity with something so commonplace. “Well, it’s one of those tools that make life a lot easier. It’s like a window to the world. You can find almost anything you need on the internet.”

Kitty, sensing that Alexandria was feeling out of her element, chimed in. “If you want, we can have a quick tutorial later. It’s not that hard once you get the hang of it.”

Alexandria looked at the computer again, her curiosity piqued. “Maybe. For now, I guess I’ll just stick to figuring out this Star Wars thing.”

Scott grinned, clearly happy to have a new project. “We can definitely work on that. Maybe after the movie, we can set up a session to show you the basics.”

“Sure,” Alexandria said, her tone more engaged than before. “I’m willing to give it a try.”

---

After the group finished the movie, which was after Scott rewound it to the beginning for Alexandria, him and Kitty taught her how to use the computer before they had to go to class.

As she browsed the web, some term Scott used, she realized it was late at night, around 11 o’clock. She took a quick shower and got into what Jean called pajamas, before getting into bed.

Sleep couldn’t claim her. The problem with her powers was that she could see people’s dreams, which was fine when she was with HYDRA, since she was either far away from other people, or they put her in her specialized cell.

Once the clock hit 2:48, Alexandria got out of bed and grabbed a cigarette and her lighter from her bag before heading up to the roof.

Last night, Logan was smoking by the side door, but tonight, and possibly all other nights in the future, the roof seemed like a better, more quiet place.

Alexandria stepped out onto the roof, the cool night air greeting her with a briskness that made her shiver. She leaned against the railing, the city lights twinkling far below. She flicked the lighter, the tiny flame illuminating her face for a moment before she took a drag.

As she exhaled, the smoke curling into the night, she heard the faintest sound of movement behind her. It wasn’t unexpected; she had a feeling she wasn’t the only one who sought the quiet solitude of the rooftop at odd hours.

After a few minutes of peace, the door at the ground floor opened up, with Logan stepping outside and smoking his own cigar. She was glad she wasn’t down there; she had enough human interaction to last a lifetime.

As she looked up at the sky, she realized quickly that she’d never seen stars before. Which was out of the ordinary, or weird, considering most people connect nighttime and dreams with the stars.

Out here, where there were almost no other signs of civilization, the stars seemed to shine brighter than she thought possible.

Alexandria decided to sit on the ledge of the building, her legs dangling and swinging, hitting the brick’s gently as she continued to look up at the night sky, her cigarette forgotten in her hand.

Down on the ground, Logan was finishing his own cigar. He had come out to the side door for some fresh air, his usual gruff demeanor on full display as he paced, taking long, deliberate drags from his cigar. The rooftop wasn’t the only place in the mansion that offered solitude, but Logan found the chill of the night air soothing.

As he neared the side of the building, Logan noticed a faint sound of movement from above. He squinted up, barely making out Alexandria’s figure silhouetted against the night sky. He grunted and took another drag, deciding to keep to his own space rather than investigate further.

Alexandria’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, the stars above providing a stark contrast to the chaos she had known. For a moment, she felt disconnected from her past, as if the night sky was a canvas offering a new beginning. She let the cigarette fall from her fingers, the small ember disappearing into the night air.

Suddenly, a light shone up from below, catching her attention. It was Logan’s cigar, glowing brightly as he took another drag. She couldn’t make out his face from this distance, but his presence was unmistakable. Alexandria’s instincts told her to retreat, to avoid any unnecessary interaction.

But Logan, in his usual fashion, wasn’t one to ignore an anomaly. He looked up again, his gaze searching for the source of the disturbance. The flicker of the cigarette's ember had caught his attention. He grunted softly, debating whether to climb the stairs or simply ignore it.

Eventually, his curiosity got the better of him. With a resigned sigh, Logan made his way to the rooftop access and began his ascent. As he approached, he could see Alexandria more clearly now- perched on the edge, seemingly lost in thought.

Logan didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Couldn’t sleep?” he called up to her, his voice carrying over the distance between them.

Alexandria looked down, her face expressionless. “Not really. Just needed some air.”

Logan grunted in acknowledgment. He walked over to the edge of the roof, leaning against the railing as he surveyed the view. “You got a problem with the stars or something?”

Alexandria shrugged. “No. Just never really seen them before.”

Logan raised an eyebrow, glancing over at her. “You mean to tell me you’ve never been outside much?”

Alexandria gave a short, bitter laugh. “Not until recently, no.”

Logan grunted, not quite sure how to respond to that. He wasn’t good with feelings, especially other people’s. He settled for taking another drag from his cigar, letting the silence hang between them for a moment.

"Not exactly the kind of thing you'd expect to hear around here," he finally said, more to himself than to her. “You’ve been through the wringer, huh?”

Alexandria nodded, her gaze still fixed on the stars. “You could say that.”

Logan watched her for a moment, trying to gauge what kind of person she was. She was tough, that much was obvious, but there was something else there too—something that reminded him a little too much of himself. He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

He decided to keep it simple. “You’ll figure it out,” he said, his tone gruff but not unkind. “This place isn’t perfect, but it’s better than the alternatives.”

“Is it?” Alexandria asked, her voice carrying a hint of skepticism. “Or is it just another place with its own set of problems?”

Logan smirked, appreciating her bluntness. “Depends on how you look at it. Everyone’s got their own demons. But here, you might actually have a shot at dealing with ‘em.”

Alexandria shifted her gaze from the stars to Logan. “And what about you? What are you dealing with?”

Logan wasn’t one to open up about his past, especially not to someone he barely knew. But there was something about the way she asked the question—direct, no-nonsense—that made him consider it, if only for a second.

“Nothing you need to worry about,” he said, deflecting. “Just focus on yourself for now.”

She didn’t press further, sensing that he wasn’t the type to share more than he wanted to. Instead, she nodded, accepting his answer without any more questions.

They stood in silence for a while, the night air cool against their skin. Logan was content with the quiet, but he could tell Alexandria was still restless.

“Why do you stay here?” Alexandria asked, breaking the silence but keeping her gaze on the stars.

Logan took a deep drag from his cigar, exhaling slowly as he considered her question. “It’s as good a place as any,” he replied, his tone neutral. “Better than most, actually. Got people here who understand.”

“Understand what?” she pressed, turning her eyes to him, searching for something in his expression.

Logan met her gaze, his own hard and unreadable. “What it’s like to have a past that doesn’t let go,” he said simply. “This place gives you a chance to move forward, if you let it.”

Alexandria snorted softly, a hint of bitterness in the sound. “Sounds like you’re trying to sell me something.”

Logan shrugged, unbothered by her cynicism. “Not selling anything. Just telling it like it is.”

She looked back at the sky, her fingers drumming lightly against the brick. “I’ve been around people who claimed they could help before. Never turned out well.”

“Yeah, well,” Logan said, flicking ash from his cigar, “this place isn’t perfect. But it’s different. Nobody here’s gonna bullshit you. And you’ll have to pull your own weight.”

Alexandria’s lips twitched in what could almost be mistaken for a smile, but there was no humor in it. “Pull my own weight. That I can do.”

“I’m sure,” Logan replied, his tone dry.

They lapsed back into silence, but it was less uncomfortable this time, as if they’d reached some sort of understanding. Alexandria leaned back on her hands, still sitting on the edge of the building, letting the night breeze cool her skin.

Logan finished his cigar and glanced over at her, noticing the way she seemed to relax, even if just a little. “You planning on sitting out here all night?” he asked, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.

“Maybe,” Alexandria answered, noncommittal. “Why? You worried about me?”

Logan’s smirk was barely visible in the dim light. “Not my style to worry about anyone.”

“Good,” she replied, her tone matching his. “I don’t need anyone worrying about me.”

“Figured as much,” Logan said, pushing himself off the railing. “Just remember, you don’t have to do everything alone here. But you do have to show up. Can’t just hide out on rooftops.”

Alexandria gave a slight nod, acknowledging his words but not committing to anything. Logan didn’t push further; he’d said what he needed to say. With a final glance at her, he turned and headed back toward the door.

“Logan,” Alexandria called out, just as he reached the stairwell.

He paused, looking back at her. “Yeah?”

She hesitated, then shrugged, as if she wasn’t sure what she wanted to say. “Thanks. For… you know.”

Logan gave a short nod, his expression softening just a fraction. “Don’t mention it.”

With that, he disappeared down the stairs, leaving Alexandria alone on the rooftop once more. She watched the door close behind him, then turned her attention back to the stars. Maybe this place was different.

#logan howlett #logan howlett x oc #logan howlett x original character #logan howlett x reader #logan howlett x you #wolverine x oc #wolverine x reader #logan howlett x alexandria sokolova #sweet dreams #project reverie

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