Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made by this work.

Moving his calloused hands across her oiled flesh, he found her shoulders and worked h is thumbs into her neck kneading away the stress that built up there like the laden clouds ready to unleash a torrent. The incense burning brought him back to another time just as hazy as the smoke, a moments deja vu teasing him only to deny him as he chased it. Sliding down her back with his fingers trailing down her sides, he found the swell of her hips and rested his hands there with his thumbs teasing her. Laying on the blankets of her bed with her eyes closed lost to his ministrations, she looked as radiant as ever.

"Rough day at the office?"

She just nodded her head in answer, running the school and teaching never an easy task. They had both taken to doing what they did best, and as for him it wasn't very nice at all. Field leader of the X-men, after San Francisco and Alcatraz Island there was a renewed interest in the push for Registration. It seemed they were right back to square one as he slowly and deliberately moved his hands up her spine.

"Ya can turn over anytime."

He felt her quiet chuckle as she laughed, laying her head on its side to stare up at him with her blue eyes that could turn as white as the ivory clouds she held command over. She looked tired and he couldn't blame her, they were all tired these days. Reaching a hand to brush her cheek and stroke her jaw, she relaxed at his touch and closed her eyes.

"So I guess I'm sleepin' in my own bed tonight, eh?"

"Yes, I have to be up early tomorrow."

And if this late night massage went the way he wanted they'd both be waking up late, sore and tired from a sensual night of all the right kind of fun for the right kind of reasons at the wrong moment. It had all started one night alone in her office, what had once been the Professors Office, polishing off a bottle of scotch in that man's honour after finding it down in a desk drawer hidden behind some files. In the morning they blamed it on the whiskey from the Isle of Scotland, only for it to happen again as they toiled away one late evening doing all the routine maintenance to the Blackbird.

"Secret meetings and all that kind o' stuff?"

She just nodded, ever since the Professor had been killed it had been up to the photogenic and angelic young Warren Worthington the Third to take up the torch for the fight for mutant rights in Washington. At his side was the UN Ambassador, the famed Doctor McCoy, but behind the scenes the rather unknown Ororo Munroe helped to make sure all the kids at the school would have a future to look forward to. The silent partner so to speak.

"I sometimes do wonder if you have it far easier."

Laying down atop her and finding the crook of her shoulder, he felt the beat of her heart against his chest and entwined his hands with hers. They might not be able to sleep together tonight in either sense of the word, but for now she was his and he'd lay with her reveling in her majesty. Every breath he took had the magic of a storm about to break with an energy that filled him never knowing the torrent to be unleashed.

"Trainin' up the next generation o' X-men, startin' ta feel sorry for all the trouble I gave Slim."

Other than him and Ro the only other full fledged X-men around were Drake and Piotr, Bobby and Petey. Kitty was still a Junior on a fast track while as much as it pained him Rogue, or Marie, had been bumped to auxiliary. She still trained with them but as far as field missions went she was unfortunately only called when the shit hit the fan, and he'd be damned if it'd ever get that far.

"I trust you Logan."

Few people had ever said that let alone even put their faith in him, but ever since finding his way to the school he'd found out trust was both a thing given and earned. Kissing her along her neck he swore he was going to make damned sure he both earned hers to make sure she wasn't just giving it away. The first of the candles burnt low with the flame dying, an aroma of smoky wax filling the air as it snuffed itself out. His time wasn't long, the massage she had accepted to work away the stress of her day already treading long past his hopes. Maybe once all her business was over with he'd have another go, get to show her again just the animal he could be.

"Night Darlin'."

Rolling beneath him until their breasts were pressed against another, she embraced him and left him breathless. He kept telling himself that it was just a couple of close friends that needed that sort of thing to keep them even, but as the kiss broke and he looked into her eyes he felt they both might have been lying to themselves all this time and that maybe there was something more to it than they ever dreamed. Climbing from her bed and snuffing out the last of the candles, he left the incense to burn low and leave her bathed in lilac and jasmine as she fell to the depths of slumber.

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Author's Note : Well, I had the intention of it being a oneshot but now I think I just wanna use this as the stepping stone of a rewrite of another story I scrapped. Reviews are always welcome, and I hope you enjoy :)