Work Text:
No Words
by BJ
"Rem?"
"Yeah, Cher?"
He looked up at me from the file he was reading and it hit me... he was totally focused on me; on the next words to come out of my mouth. As if whatever it was that I was thinking was going to change the world. I'm still astonished by his devotion, his utter faith in me... in us. I shouldn't be; I watched for years as he tried his best to love Rogue. He would have done anything for that girl, *anything*, but she couldn't get past her fears. It broke his heart to finally realize that they would never be more than just friends. It took a very long time for him to feel safe enough to start caring again. I should have seen it then; the way I paid attention to his moods, worried when he didn't eat, watched him like a hawk, but I didn't.
It was dumb luck that we got together, or maybe it was destiny... here we are one year from the day we finally really *saw* each other for the first time, and it hit us that we'd both been moving toward each other without even realizing it. Like gravity, it couldn't be denied and we found ourselves staring at each other, baring our hopes and dreams and fears and then at last our very souls for the other to see.
It was right after a mission that could have gone terribly wrong if we all hadn't given everything in us. He was shaking with fatigue as we exited the Blackbird. I don't remember exactly why it happened but I remember so clearly how I couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't breath... he gave me everything that night, and I saw in his eyes, behind the mask of confidence that he always wears, that he expected nothing in return.
He stumbled back a step when I finally raised my hands to run my fingers through his hair. He blinked at me and my breath caught again; he was so afraid to believe the feelings that I know were pouring off of me at the time:
Shock to finally admit my feelings to myself.
Relief that he apparently felt the same way.
Joy at the thought of how I would show him.
Fear that this was only a dream.
He swayed a little as he moaned and closed his eyes; I'm sure his sensitive mind was going into overload, but I needed to see them... I needed to see if everything I was feeling was really there in his eyes too.
I took his chin roughly in my hand and when his lids finally fluttered open... so did my heart.
I felt like I wanted to scream, and cry, and laugh all at once. Suddenly everything in my life made sense. His hand was shaking as he lifted it and touched my cheek. Our eyes stayed connected...
And so have our hearts.
My mouth is suddenly dry and everything I was going to say is lost as I fall helplessly into his eyes again. He's still looking up at me, still waiting to hear what I have to say.
Instead I move forward and bend to take his hand and pull him to his feet. He's smiling now and every care I have falls away. I can *feel* his smile. It's like a flame in the center of my heart.
"Logan?" he asks as he tilts his head to the side... I love when he does that.
No words now... words can't express my feelings. I pull his head down to me and kiss him. I push everything I was trying to say into the simple touching of our lips. I feel him shudder and I know he understands... Empaths are so emotional, I think with a smile as his arms tighten around me.
It's funny how such a tight embrace can make me feel so free.
"I love you, Rem," I whisper into his ear. "Happy Anniversary."
End