The demons were an enemy that Laura could easily focus on, defeat with some struggle, but blindly fighting would not win a war. She hated that fact, but raised on the Art of War, Laura could comprehend strategy. Slaying the demons was useless if they were unaware who was leading and organizing them. More would replace them, especially if their lines were as infinite as Doctor Strange and the reporter had claimed. Soldiers were unfortunately replaceable, but leaders were not. However, the demons were impossible to interrogate, and with all of them looking and smelling similar, it was impossible to differentiate a leader. It frustrated Laura endlessly, as did everything about this situation. Being stranded on another planet, possibly another dimension, was nonsensical. Combating demons, merely a religious persons greatest fear until recently, was allegedly impossible. Their situation was hopeless in many ways, impossible to progress, and Laura hated everything about it. Better than anyone she understood how useless slashing through the demons was in a literal sense, but in an emotional one, Laura expected to be far less frustrated once she was bloody and left a significant dent in the demons’ front line.
Laura expected that Logan would feel similarly. He was a nonbeliever as she was, and Logan, also like Laura, absolutely hated magic. They were used to opponents that were tangible, fathomable, and they did their best work whilst comprehending the situation. No amount of time on Earth, remembered or forgotten by her father, had prepared him for this. She also resented that, knowing how reckless Logan was. Logan would rush through the wasteland, prepared to sacrifice his life in a heartbeat if it guaranteed an answer about the enemy that they were currently facing.
Luckily, Logan did not have the opportunity. Laura intended to watch his every move, ensuring that he was not being self-sacrificing or angrily impulsive. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for Logan Howlett, and truthfully, she was not ashamed of that fact. He had saved her life, given her hope when Laura couldn’t possibly fathom what the word meant, let alone the feeling, and Logan was her family. Years ago, she had resented the Wolverine, believed that Logan was the source of her pain and suffering, truly believed that the world would be far better off without them in it, but now Laura knew better. Without the Wolverines, the world would be far more dangerous and after they were through with the demons, even a ridiculous, impossible enemy would understand why. Unfortunately, they could not rely on strategy or knowledge of their opponent, but Laura and Logan could rely on violence. They excelled in that department. “They do have someone leading them though,” she pointed out. “They have a patrolling schedule, have calls that allow them to bring backup… there is some organization.” It was not something that Laura acknowledged lightly, but Logan would have noticed it as she had. It was yet another mystery to add to the pile, and Laura hated mysteries. “Good,” she said curtly. It was a difficult thing for Laura to suggest, she preferred to finish the battles she began, but for Logan, Laura was willing to make the sacrifice. “Of course it matters,” she said, sounding mildly offended that Logan suggested otherwise. “These demons aren’t worth your life, if that’s possible to take.” Before Logan could step over the line, ending the conversation, Laura moved in front of him, blocking the escape route. “We need you here.”
Strategy had never been Logan’s strong suit. Ferocity was more his style, hitting things hard and fast and without mercy. He’d often been compared to an animal, had the word thrown in his face like some sort of insult, but it was the honest truth. There had been long periods of his life where Logan was more beast than man, and in fights, it showed. He didn’t view a situation from a strategic standpoint, never looked through his best options to figure out where the most efficient place to strike might be. Instead, he simply attacked. He slashed, he stabbed, he tore apart everything in his path with his teeth bared like a rabid dog. For the demons, it seemed the only thing that worked. It wasn’t as if they were a talkative enemy, wasn’t as if they might divulge some secret if he only let them get the words out. In a lot of ways, the demon army was a force Logan could relate to. They seemed to know nothing but violence, seemed to understand only bloodshed. It was something of a relief to Logan, going from the secrecy of the Skrulls to the simplicity of the demons. He didn’t know where they were coming from, didn’t know who was in charge of them, but at least he knew where to point his claws. Right now, it was all he needed.
Unfortunately, the situation still wasn’t one that was easily solvable. Logan didn’t know where they were more than anyone else did, couldn’t even smell the difference between this planet and Earth through the stench of the demons. He wondered, idly, if that was by design. He wondered if someone knew that he and Laura were in the city, wondered if they understood what the Wolverines were capable of and designed the demons in such a way that they’d make it impossible to figure things out through scent and sound alone. It was a possibility they had to keep their minds open to, and Logan hated that, too. He wanted clear answers, wanted neat packages tied up with strings. He rarely got it.
He knew Laura was watching him now, and he was smart enough to understand why. Despite all the telepaths he’d known, all the people who’d seen inside his head, there was no one on Earth -- or wherever the hell they were -- who understood him like Laura. She knew his self preservation was weak at best, knew he’d sacrifice himself in a heartbeat to save the city, knew that the part of him that was afraid of dying had been nonexistent for decades now. For whatever reason, she seemed intent on making him build it back up. Laura didn’t need Logan, would probably be better off with him gone, but she thought she did. She thought he was someone worth idolizing, someone worth looking up to, and Logan was far too selfish to correct her on it. It was nice. sometimes, having someone who thought you were worth something even when you knew you weren’t. “They’re pawns,” he replied with a shrug. “Go where they’re told to go, do what they’re told to do. Nothing hard about that.” He’d been something similar once, though he could only remember it in snaps. He knew enough to know he hadn’t been allowed a mind of his own, knew enough to know he’d never been given a say. It was almost enough to make him feel sympathetic for the demons. Almost. “And we get a beer after,” he added, quirking a brow as he turned to face her. “That’s non-negotiable.” It was something of a habit for Logan. After every mission, every raging battle, he had a beer. Maybe more, depending on how the day went. Glancing over at her, he studied her for a long moment as the words sunk in. “I don’t think killing me is something they’re capable of,” he offered, hoping it might provide her with something akin to comfort. Enough people had tried and failed to kill Logan over the years that he was sure it was an impossible task, and he was never sure how he felt about it. The idea of immortality had been easier when he hadn’t had a family like the X-Men, he thought. Stepping forward, he paused as Laura stepped into his path. He let the words wash over him, stood in silence as he mulled them over. Did they need him? He didn’t think so. He was a heavy hitter, but the X-Men were chalk full of those. Hell, Laura was objectively a better fighter than he was. Saying so would only lead to an argument, though, and the last thing Logan wanted to do was upset her. Finally, after letting the silence stretch a beat too long, he offered her a nod. “I’m not going anywhere, kid,” he promised.
