My Funny Anti-Valentine
She was considered one of the strongest mutants on the planet. With the ability to manipulate the weather elements – admittedly the more undesirable elements such as lightning thunder and rain. Not exactly associated with good connotations.
Currently she was looking most undecidedly like one of the strongest mutants, robed in the softest blue angora sweater, jeans, and it a placating gesture to cold she didn't feel, a cream cashmere coat. Decidedly the sensualist when it came to fabrics and all things that touched her skin, Ororo Munroe delighted in the sensations of silk, softness and texture. She looked like any ordinary youngish woman, dressed for the cold of the New York movement of winter into spring. Of course there was the white hair to contend with. Piled on top of her head, pummeled into submission with clips and bands, strands fell silkily to frame her face. Oh, and the skin. A brown, chocolaty warm hue, that when the light struck just so, turned her skin a soft gold brown color. And don't even get started on the eyes. If that didn't scream mutant from every rod and cone that contributed to the startlingly blue color, what did?
Hiding out from snow, that wasn't her doing, at the local bookstore in West Rochester, she gazed accusingly out the window at the flakes that were falling steadily to coat the ground. She bit her lip thoughtfully. If she wanted to she could help it on its way to a screaming blizzard. And that's what she felt like doing, with the mood she was in.
"Can I help you Ma'am?" She was interrupted from her reverie by the young store assistant. Lissaine Sheridan recognized her as being one of the teachers at the local school for Gifted Youngsters. She'd seen her a few times, being one of the more frequent visitors from the academy. The ladies blue eyes turned towards her and narrowed minutely as she took in the name on the badge. "Yes…Lissaine. Why that's a beautiful name. Is it French?"
"Well, kind of. I guess my Mom liked it. I think she read it in a book, or saw it in one of those old movies. " Lissaine felt herself at ease with the woman, despite her strange appearance. She had a warmth that exuded from her, and a serenity that shone from her despite the small worry lines that currently inhabited her forehead.
"It's lovely. I was wondering whether the order for the textbooks on disasters of the Twentieth Century have come in yet?"
"I'll just check. I won't be a minute, Miss…"
"Munroe." She laughed then, and raised an eyebrow at some amusing joke only she understood.
"You're not one of my students though, and that's what they call me. My name is Ororo."
"That's about unusual as Lissaine." Lissaine replied.
"It's African." It was said shortly, but not unkindly. Just in a way that meant it wasn't to be pushed. Lissaine nodded, and began to turn away, just as the bell at the door buzzed, letting in an figure that was muttering under his breath, and who shook off the snow that dusted his jacket with an eloquent, "Fuckin' winter." When Lissaine recognized this customer she grinned. As far as she could tell he was a passing traveler who came through about once a month on his way through to…wherever. Despite his rather scratchy manner, she was fond of Mr. Logan. What did surprise her however was when Ororo let out an impatient sigh.
"Good afternoon, Logan." The tone of her voice wasn't exactly warm, in fact it bordered on icy, but the fact just seemed to float about in the air until the presence of the muscular Canadian enveloped it, and flung Ororo a surprised smile, which quickly narrowed into a suspicious gaze as his eyes flew to the window, where the snow was gradually getting heavier, and then back at Ororo. "'Ro darlin'. Didn't see you there, but I should have guessed that-" He broke off as he noticed Lissaine. Another exasperated whoosh escaped Ororo's mouth.
"Isn't that strange. I mean considering that I am the only customer in the shop at the moment."
"Very strange, darlin'. My eyesight must be failing me. You know how it gets sometimes." He shot her a grin that bordered on the antagonistic as far as Lissaine could see.
"What are you here for anyway, darlin'? The weathers turned to a donkey's ass. Real sudden, like." Again that darting look outside and then back to Ororo. The faint overtones of suspicion colored his words.
"Checking to see if the new textbooks are here yet." One of those cloud colored eyebrows lifted a touch. "Might I dare ask what you're doing here?" She gestured around her with an elegantly manicured long fingered hand. "I don't know if you've figured it out yet, or if your brain is failing you as much as your eyesight seems to be failing you, but this is a bookshop, Logan. Harry's is down that a way. You must have taken a wrong turn somewhere." She dismissed him with a flickering distant smile. Logan bared his teeth at her. Definitely antagonistic this time. "You're not the only one who reads, Roro, so don't go playing the most high educated goddess on me now." The voice, although with a teasing lilt had a steely undertone that warned not to push too far, and not to underestimate too much. Ororo's lips tightened almost imperceptibly at this comment. She turned to Lissaine, and didn't deign Logan with a reply. "If you're not too busy, dear, could you check to see whether they've come in?"
"Sure. I'll be back in a sec." Lissaine meandered back to the storeroom and shut the door. Effectively blocking out any conversation, but allowing her to observe her two customers through the glass paneling, both of whom seemed uptight and tense.
Outside, in front of the counter, Logan tried to engage Ororo in conversation. "So what else have you been doin' with yaself today, 'Ro? Not being the responsible leader the whole day, I hope."
He estimated from the flashing angry look she pierced him with that that was he wrong thing to say. He exhaled a silent breath in his head, something was seriously bugging her. He didn't know when he'd last seen her so defensive. Man, she must be pissed she didn't have those damn textbooks yet.
"Well, being so that leadership, nor following a leader is your strong suit-"
"I just asked you a question, Ro. Pull the stick from your ass. What's wrong?" He saw her nostrils flare slightly at his intimation that she was as uptight as Cyke was. He back pedaled, and tried to sugar coat his statement. " I mean you know. I worry 'bout you sometimes 'Ro. I've never seen you let your hair down," he looked at it piled messily on top of her head, and touched one of the strands gingerly. "Pretty hair, too." He grinned. Her stony expression told him he wasn't forgiven yet, and he pulled his hand away quickly. Getting a jolt from 'Ro was no fun, even if he did have healing capabilities.
"And 'Ro, you don't have someone to fall back on like One Eye does when he bores Red to death." Her expression stiffened even more if that was possible. Damn. He should have just pushed the compliment for ten points and seen what would have happened.
"If you're suggesting that just because I don't have a man to rely-"
"I would never think that, 'Ro." He widened his eyes convincingly. "You just haven't found a man yet who's good enough for you." He smiled charmingly.
Lissane, watching from the storeroom saw the blue eyes meet the meltingly dark eyes warily.
She then said something so quietly that Logan, even with super enhanced senses, had to strain to hear it. "It's Valentine's Day tomorrow. I think its just PMT," she grinned slightly as she saw Logan's face blanch, "or something like that. Feminine pride, call it what you will. I don't know. It's just-" Her face colored slightly, and Logan strove to keep the small smile from his face. Ro, succumbing to the perils of singledom like a normal person. Who would have thought? "It's just, Jean has Scott – even the kids have been pairing off. Leaving it glaringly obvious who doesn't have anybody. Frankly, it just pisses me off at the moment."
Logan's eyebrows united with his hairline as he contemplated these most ungoddess like words from the most goddess like creature he knew. He also refrained from informing her that he was one of those people 'who doesn't have anybody'. Let her mull over that one and feel bad when she figured it out.
Lissaine came out of the storeroom. "Sorry, Ororo. They haven't come in yet. Oh, Mr. Logan. Here's your order." Logan grunted and slid a fifty across the counter, and tried to hide what Lissaine had given him from Ororo's inquisitive eyes. A peal of laughter that escaped her let him know that he had been unsuccessful. He ground his teeth as they made their way out the door.
"I should have guessed. Heavy literature that, Logan. I think almost on par with War and Peace. For the educated person among us."
"Alright 'Ro. Leave it alone."
"I don't think so. I'm just so thrilled you're furthering your education so, Logan."
"I think you've kind of exhausted it, Ro. "
" 'Motorcycle Mayhem, 2001 Compendium' Well, it looks heavy, at least." She read the title peering over his shoulder, and Logan was assaulted by the soft scent of vanilla, rain and snow. "And a compendium. Every compendium I've ever used has always been educational for me."
"It's a man's education, 'Ro. Just as useful as a girl's. I mean who are you going to get to change your tires? Check your oil, hmm?" He smirked at her. She slid a withering glance his way that indicated he'd forgotten one salient point. "I fly, Logan." She said patronizingly.
Damn.
"Alright. I forgot."
"That means I don't drive."
"Alright. Let it go" He concentrated on the ground in front of him. 'Ro was lagging a couple of paces behind him. Probably trying to come up with a good retort in her self allocated response period of five seconds. He saw the drift, and easily jumped it. She didn't. And whatever retort she was about to make was cut off in a flurry of snow and a curse that he couldn't believe came from the mouth of the resident goddess. He turned. He didn't try and hide the smirk on his face as he watched 'Ro try and clamber her way out of the snow pile. She shot him an infamous basilisk stare. He regarded her tenderly. He'd come to appreciate those stares as almost a quirky little nuance between them; so many times he'd disrupted her plans, classes or thought patterns to earn one.
"You should know, 'Roro. I'm not sure if you think those stares scare me, but it's like water slidin' off a duckie's back darlin', it's-" He jumped and swore enthusiastically loudly as a bolt of lightening scorched the ground not half a foot from where he stood. There was a carbon mark on his boots. That's how close she had gotten. "That wasn't funny, 'Ro."
"Well then be a gentleman and help me out of this damn drift."
"Well I would, if you'd have been a lady and not tried and burn my ass off." He drawled, making to walk away.
"Logan!" He carried on walking, and began cheerily whistling his favorite beer drinking song, '5000 Miles' by the Proclaimers.
"Logan!" The voice was more strident this time and carried further.
He turned and regarded her still struggling and sinking deeper in the snowdrift. "You said Harry's was that a way?" He grinned. And took a couple of steps back towards her.
"Just help me, dammit, Logan." He faked a look of astonishment, and put a finger up near his mouth. "Why I don't believe I heard a 'please' in that sentence, princess." His senses were going into overdrive. The fury that was building up in her was roiling round like a furnace. "Anyway, why don't you just use your powers to get you out of there?"
There was a pregnant pause. Her voice came to him slowly, as if talking to a two year old. "That could be because that would make this storm worse. I didn't do anything to cause this snowstorm." She had a point. Bring in a wind that would tear up two ways from here to Texas, would cause the snow to go crazy. He walked back to her and began to dig her out of the snow. "You of all people should know when you're stuck in a drift, you shouldn't flail about like some half witted harpy." He cut off the protestations that were rising to her lips. "It just makes you sink deeper." He pauses and rocked back on his heels and regarded her with a glimmering smile.
"I mean, what would you have done if I wasn't here with you, 'Ro?"
"She shrugged, lifting her shoulders briefly and then allowing them to fall back against the snow. Logan had to admit, she looked rather fetching all cuddled up in the snow like that.
He extended a hand to her and then pulled her out. He pulled a little too hard, and with a startled gasp from Ro, and a swearing grunt from him, they overbalanced and toppled back on to the snow, he landed with a thud that had the breath knocked out of him for a few seconds. The breath stayed knocked out of him for a few more seconds, as he took in the feel of Ro's body, it's lithe length stretched out against his. His arm had secured itself around her waist. To make sure she didn't hurt herself, he assured himself. And he could feel the flutter of her eyelashes against his cheek. He opened up his eyes, and was surprised to find her eyes centimeters from his. It gave him a chance to examine them. Rather than being the solid startling blue that he thought they were, they were a blue with a few tiny, almost unnoticeable little gold flecks. It was rather beautiful this close up. Like a deep summer sky with a few golden suns languishing in it. "You have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen in my whole life." It sounded hack even to his own ears and he winced inwardly. "I'm sure you say that to all the girls, Logan." Her voice was acidic.
"No. It's like a sky with little tiny suns, or stars in it." He didn't know why the hell he was pursuing this, and as she struggled to her feet she regarded him with a scornful look.
"Yes, and my hair is like spun sugar, while my – " Sarcasm seasoned her words, making it a delicious dish, although Logan was finding it hard to swallow, and tried to explain himself. What came out however, wasn't what he'd intended.
"No. You're the most goddamn beautiful thing I've ever seen, 'Ro." Then, almost embarrassed by his blurting compliment, which seemed to have come out of left field and stunned them both, he grunted and began moving away.
"Logan – "
"I don't know why. So don't ask."
They walked back to the mansion in an uneasy silence. Logan could feel Ororo's sidelong looks at him, covert and curious. He avoided her gaze by studiously inspecting his booted feet. It was quite rythymical if you watched your feet when you we walking, a peculiar sense of the familiar and reliable. Lost in his own thoughts about his boots, and walking, and getting lost, and being alone, he almost missed the gate to the mansion.
Ororo's voice bought him back to reality. "Logan. Stops here."
"Ta." His voice was gruff, and he did a small side shuffle past her as they went in through the small, almost unnoticeable garden gate. He though he heard a snicker, and looked at her sharply, but her attention was focused on the rose vines that crept over the brick wall.
"You'd think someone would do something and see that these things bloomed in February, wouldn't you?" She murmured more to herself than him.
"Nah. Then they have no way of charging the extortionist prices that they do, darlin'. The whole day would collapse." He stretched out a hand to touch the vines like she was, and then with an outraged yelp pulled his hand away. A drop of blood welled on one of his fingers and then dropped to stain the pristine whiteness of the snow a delicate pink. The thorn prick healed almost instantaneously. Ororo didn't bother asking him if he was alright. She just commented in a bemused tone," they still have thorns even though there are no roses there, Logan."
Damn she was just loving pointing out the obvious to him today.
"Thanks for letting me know that. After the fact." He replied in a tight voice.
She rolled her eyes at him. "It's not like you're permanently damaged. Besides. I thought everyone knew that." She smirked, and tilted her head at him. "Kind of like how you shouldn't struggle in a snow drift."
Logan didn't trust himself to say anything further, and just walked off, muttering darkly to himself.
The idea came to him later on during the night. He was having trouble sleeping. It could have been the insomnia that happened to hit him on odd occasions, or it could have just been Cyke's lasagne, which always seemed to have a tendency to give him indigestion.
Ro was peeved about the whole Valentine's Day thing – or 'pissed' as he recalled, had been her exact words with another smirk. But he had to admit, even he'd found Bobby and Rogue discussing their plans at dinner a bit vomit inducing. Really if he'd wanted an emetic, he would have gone to a doctor and got one prescribed. As his stomach turned again, he winced. Or he could have just had some more of Cyke's lasagne.
He quietly padded down the hall, and walked out into the garden where the bitter chill made him wish that he had put on two pairs of sweatpants. He grumbled to himself as he tried to tip toe his way across the frosty grass to the greenhouse, and swore that if anyone saw him doing this, they would get 3 inches of blade right through their gut. As his gut threatened to come up through his mouth again he had to stop and bend slightly. Fuckin' Cyke. He'd get six inches through him the next time he even threatened to make that lasagne. He fiddled with the lock, but it would have been impossible to tamper with it without it being glaringly obvious, especially to someone like Ro, who would have a hissy fit if she thought that anyone had invaded her personal space.
He was only doing this because he was a friend. And to have Ro even remotely out of sorts wasn't the greatest thing in the world. Bad things could happen. Like unexpected jolts. Downpours that meant he would have to clean the gutters, even though she was the one that could fly to the top of the roof.
And besides, Ro was a woman. And when you did something nice for them, in Logan's experience, it meant that they were nice to you. And that meant that they couldn't bitch at you so that your head would threaten to explode, adamantium skull or not. He bit back another cussing streak as the wind became particularly vicious. He looked accusingly towards Ro's window. It was dark, but he was still sure she was behind it.
The Cajun's room was pitch black, and if Logan hadn't known to expect the devilish red on black eyes, it would have scared the bejesus out of him.
"Logan?!" The voice was hoarse and scratchy from sleep. "What de hell?" Logan snickered into the darkness. "Need some help, Gumbo."
"At," Remy squinted at his watch. "At three in de mornin'? 'Ave you lost your marbles?"
"Yer spending too much time round Betsy, kid. No ones lost their marbles except that British dame. Besides, yer the one who knows how to pick locks."
"Yes, but – "
"I need you to pick a lock for me Swamp Rat. And as I know the elevator's not going all the way to the top of the building at this time of night, why don't I just show you what I want you to do?"
With that, Logan hauled Remy out of bed and hustled him to the door.
After Remy had picked the lock, swearing in French the whole time so that all Logan heard was 'merdé this' and 'merdé that' he made to stumble away.
"Not so fast, Gumbo. I need yer help on something." Logan gestured off to the side of the greenhouse, where what seemed like large shallow dish lay.
"I'm not helping you in changin' Stormy's greenhouse. She'll kill me, mon amie." Remy 's eyes widened dramatically, and he made a motion that resembled a fish being gutted, and Logan began to feel slightly nervous. He wasn't aiming to fuck the resident goddess off, just give her a little surprise that she wouldn't be expecting on Valentine's Day.
"Not if I don't try filet you first, Gumbo. Help me do something nice for Ro, otherwise you'll be de-veined like all those nice little shrimp that went into yer Mama's gumbo." It came out a little harsher than he expected, but the Cajun, Logan had found was a wily one.
"It's jus' – I don't think changin' Ro's room here is quite de way to her heart. If I know my padnat - she'll roast you like a kebab if she finds anything out of de ord'nary in her sanctuary." Remy was trying to be diplomatic, but seeing Logan's set expression realized he wasn't making much headway. He smiled inwardly. If Logan though the elevator wasn't going to the top of the building in his head, he's have to say it looked like it had permanently stalled on the ground floor in Logan's head. Ro would slice him and dice Logan so finely that even Logan would be proud of her handiwork.
Ro was usually up before everyone else in the mansion, which is why she raised a curious eyebrow when she saw the light pouring from Logan's room, as she walked down the corridor. It was pretty fair to say that she bordered on the speechless when she strolled into the kitchen and saw him gingerly chewing on Pop Tarts, which she surmised, didn't really compliment the best that Canada's breweries had to offer, from the look on his face.
"Trouble sleeping?" She tried to make her tone sympathetic, but it was unsuccessful. Goddess, she hated Valentine's Day with a passion that if directed the right way would have made Eros swoon with delight.
"You could say that." Logan's smirk was just a tad self indulgent, and she had to wonder at that.
She just shook her head, and went to the percolator. She was bewildered to see the coffee was already brewed, and still hot. She looked at him in surprise. After all, he was the only one down here. He shrugged, not looking at her and concentrated on reading the nutritional information on the beer can. Which was not much.
"I heard you get up." Was all he said.
"I – thank you, Logan. That was very…thoughtful, Logan." She almost choked on the word. Thoughtful was not the word that came to mind when she first thought of the gruff Canadian.
He just shrugged a little self consciously again and grunted.
"So do you have any plans for-"
"Don't, Logan. You know that Valentine's Day sets me on edge as it is. Don't make it more so."
Logan just closed his mouth and began to reassess his idea about being nice to her.
"I'm going out to the greenhouse. It's warmer in there." She smiled. "I feel like I'm at home there."
"That's because you're surrounded by beautiful flowers."
"Yes." She gave him a puzzled little smile that suggested he was again suggesting the obvious to her, and walked out.
"Like you, Ro." He murmured under his breath. "That's what I meant to say. Beautiful flowers like you."
She couldn't speak when she walked in. It was so stunningly beautiful, the pool of azure blue, such a depth of color she felt like she was flying. And the lilies that dotted the surface were the golden color of the sun, the morning light making them translucent and otherworldly.
There was a small rock settled in the middle of the pool, and on it, demurely lay a little lizard with a little name tag around it's neck. She bent a little closer, slowly, so not to startle the little creature. Not that it could really go anywhere, it looked petrified it was going to slip off the rock and drown. ' A little basilisk to scare you, with a look or two.'
She almost fell into the pool, that's how surprised she was. Logan did this?? He was the only one who ever teased her about giving him basilisk stares. Logan. Not even a bone – or metal shard in his body, she could remotely call friendly? Goddess, how you could underestimate people. She noticed a little folded note, shaped into a beautiful little Origami swan that floated serenely on a lily petal. She picked it off, and opened it.
" 'Hello, darlin' thought it might be nice to give you a little something to smile about.
"Your looks are laughable, unphotographable, yet you're my favorite work of art" ''
She thought about it. Her attempts to scare him by staring him into submission always did make him laugh. And – she looked back at the blue pool with the lilies – "It's like a sky with tiny suns, or stars in it." – Oh Goddess. She bit back a grin.
She wrenched the door open, still holding the note, and almost flew back to the kitchen.
"Lo-" She stopped abruptly. Remy was in the kitchen, yet Logan had disappeared. "Remy." She tried to make her voice sound less excited, and willed the slight flush in her cheeks to disappear.
"Padnat." Remy replied gravely, his eyes dancing merrily. Her eyes narrowed, and she tried to pin him back against the counter with a look. Remy moved uneasily, and Ro smirked inwardly. Her looks still worked on Remy, at least. "You knew." Her tone was far more steely than the emotions inside her would suggest at the moment. Remy snorted. "You think that Canuck would have the fingers to pick that lock, Stormy? They each 'bout as heavy as one of those beer cans he's got permanently attached to them."
Ro stifled a giggle. She was still so giddily delighted. "Why did he do it?" she laughed, folding the note back into it's original shape.
Remy shrugged. " He would not tell me." Then his grin grew positively wicked. "Why don' you ask him, Padnat? I have my own ideas about why he would do this." He cocked his head and looked enquiringly at her. "So you are not angry?"
Ororo lowered her head. "I should be, shouldn't I? But it is just so beautiful, Remy. And it's just so not Logan."
Remy shrugged, reminding Ro of Logan. "Maybe you jes' need to get to know him better, Stormy. And give a little credit where it's due."
"Where did he go?"
"I t'ink dat he was muttering something about motorcycles. You know how I don' understand anyone who mumbles like a old woman." Ororo had already gone, and Remy was talking to thin air.
He wasn't at the garage, however, and Ororo decided to get up properly before she went a hunting for her prey.
Logan meanwhile was sequestered in a classroom with Jean who was regarding him with a look of barely disguised curiosity as he sat in one of the desks in front of her, where she had come in early to mark a last few papers for Scott, so he would have less to do tonight, and they could celebrate Valentine's Day properly.
"And she didn't kill you?" She huddled deeper into the sweater she was wearing. Damn heaters in this place. Refused to work at this time in the morning.
"I don't know. Remy put the fear of hell into me while he was helping this morning," Logan grinned. "He doesn't want to be identified as a culprit. Damn wuss. But no, I haven't seen Ro since this morning. She was on the way out to the greenhouse and I jes' I took off."
"Well why did you do it, Logan?"
Logan pondered this. "I don't know. Ro, she's always been the loner. For as long as I've known her she's never had anyone."
"Except Forge." Jean
amended in a neutral tone.
"Who?" Logan racked his brains. He'd never heard of anyone called Forge.
"He's a friend of the X Men's. He and Ororo…well it's a long story, and it's not really mine to tell."
Logan, although curious, didn't push Jean, or rather, he didn't push Ororo's privacy by pushing Jean to tell him. "You know Red, we ask so much of Ro. She's gotta be strong for all of us. She can't show any fear, because then we'd know that we aren't infallible. And we give her nothing back. It's jes'…somethin' nice I thought." He finished a bit lamely, his voice trailing off.
"Is she going to think that there's anything more?" Jean urged, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer. Logan just groaned. "I dunno. I never thought so. At least, I never noticed myself thinkin' of Ro like that. But she's so beautiful, Jean. I know it's not love. Well, I don't think it's love – but there's something there. There's something that's drawing us."
"You both enjoy your solace." Jean offered, just slightly perturbed.
"We could enjoy it together."
"Ro – she doesn't open up to people."
"She opens up to me. And besides, I don't want to know anything that she doesn't want to tell me, Red." Logan leant back and casually crossed his legs, a picture of indolent arrogance.
"You're not good enough for her." It hung in the air like an ominous bell tolling, and Jean evaded his eyes which had suddenly turned cold. His breathing had become slightly heavier, and there was a sudden 'snikt'. Jean started and lifted her eyes to his. They were expressionless, and as he struggled to keep his emotions in check she watched in hypnotic fascination as his fingers flexed and unflexed rhythmically.
"I'm sorry. I don't want her to get hurt. You were talking about how we don't do anything for her? I do. I make sure my best friend is protected. Just leave her alone, Logan. That's the best thing you could do for her." Jean said calmly. Half-truth and half what? It wasn't a lie. She was deliriously happy with Scott, indeed, romance not being a strong card in his deck, but he made her happy in so many other innumerable, uncountable little ways, that she could imagine herself with no other. And then she made her mind up. She didn't need Logan to make her feel desirable anymore. She could live without having the cynical Canadian bait her with his every breath. And God, could she even call herself a doctor, let alone a friend if she begrudged Ororo even one moment of happiness? And if she got hurt, that's when Jean would be there. To mop up the tears, gouge the eyes out of photographs. And surely Ro would have at couple of ritualistic dances that would make Logan suffer. A lot. That thought bought a small smirk to her face.
"What now?" Logan snapped, standing. His claws had retracted, much to Jean's relief.
"I- I'm sorry Logan. I have no right to make a judgment of whether you would be suited to Ro or not –"
"Damn right. As I recall, yer a doctor, Red. Jes' physical shit up yer alley. I don't think yer qualified to go about spinning mind numbing bullshit with me, otherwise you might wake up one morning and find yerself with a new haircut." He snarled as he loped to the door.
"I just meant to say – it seems to be coming out of the blue, Logan." She called after him.
He stopped and turned, hackles rising and stalked back to Jean to stand right in front of her desk. "Look Red, "his voice was patient, congenial even. "It's like this. I respect everyone in this place. I may not like everyone her, but I respect them. If I didn't, I'd probably have my mind picked like a row of uneven knitting by you, or get myself barbequed, courtesy of 'ole One Eye if I ever stepped a toe outta the dance line with you."
"Ro still chars your ass every time you get to her." Jean sniped, sounding bitchy even to her ears.
"Oh, fer fucks sake, Red. She jolts me now and then. She never hurts me. She knows I've got healing powers, and she knows how far to push them. But hell, I respect Storm more than anyone here – bar Chuck. Damn, Red. You may be the princess of the castle here, with yer fancy doctor ways and calm way of talkin', but Ro's the queen. Unapproachable. And therefore, desirable to a glutton for punishment like me. She's beautiful. She's smart. And she thinks that she can control everyone – and I'd like her to think that controllin' me could be jes' a little bit harder than what she's thinkin'." Logan purred this last comment out.
All Jean could splutter was, "I do not act like a princess!"
"Yeah, you do, Red. An' I love you all the same fer it darlin'. Yer the earth girl. Solid. When we get into trouble we go to you. You'll fix us. But Ro? Ro's the child of the skies. She's got three elements over everyone else in this place. Fire, air and water. An' last time I checked, three bet one any day. And besides, wouldn't you love to see her lose control?"
"Well if you think like that, Logan, then she is so out of your league, I don't know why you're trying." Jean was slightly put out by Logan's assessment of Ro – and by proxy, the inadequacies of herself.
Logan bared his teeth at her. "Doncha know I love a challenge, darlin'?" He winked and strode out.
She hadn't felt like this since Forge. Not that she wanted to compare what Logan had done to anything that Forge had ever done for her. And besides, Logan and her were just friends. He had picked up on her out of sorts attitude, the way friends should, and attempted to pick up her mood, the way that friends should. Ororo had been trying to rationalize it for about an hour now. She couldn't…she wouldn't…think of it as romantic. She'd agonized over it in the shower. He'd told her yesterday she was beautiful…and today he'd acted on it…but he'd never even remotely expressed interest in her of the romantic nature. 'But have you ever wanted to see him do that?' a little voice echoed in her head. And if she had to be truthful, the answer would have to be no. If she had ever in nine lifetimes thought about it, Logan, with his beer swilling, caustic abrasive nature wouldn't exactly be the blue ribbon winner on her list. But maybe that wasn't all there was to him. Admittedly still caustic – the lizard had been proof of that…
"Hey darlin'. Watcha up to?" The man in question had sidled up to her and was now surveying her with laughing dark eyes. Ororo tried to keep her expression grave. "Logan."
Logan responded in kind, and adopted an accent not dissimilar to Betsy's. "Ororo."
She huffed a mock sigh out at him, and her voice lilted gleefully with her words. "I liked the lizard."
Logan nodded sagely. "I thought that would be the thing you liked the most. You being girl nature and everything."
She dropped her voice. "It was beautiful Logan. I had no idea you could even dream something like that up. It - ," she debated whether to tell him the truth about her feelings, and then just decided to bite the bullet. "It made me feel beautiful."
"Which you are darlin'. Maybe I should do it every day to see a smile like that on yer face." And indeed if there was ever a smile that could light up a room, it was Ororo's.
"Of course, that hasn't changed my feelings about Valentine's Day. I still hate it."
"Of course." Logan matched her seriousness and fell into step beside her as she made to move away. "I think that's rubbing off on me too, darlin'. Have you seen Bobby and Rogue? I think that moo-eyed thing Bobby's doing could permanently damage any change he's got of making it to a real manhood."
Ororo laughed. They had reached the bottom of the stairs leading up to her attic. "I just wanted to say thank you."
"I think we should thank your parents for the most stunningly beautiful set of mutant genes I've ever seen." Logan said gallantly.
"Oh." She was so self conscious that she was rolling from the ball of one foot to the other.
"God, Ro. You don't realize, do you? Yer jus perfect." He said gruffly. "Never change, 'Ro. For no one. " He leant forward and lightly kissed her on the cheek, If she had blinked in that instant she would have missed it. She leant away from him and fixed him with a look. It wasn't a basilisk stare. They didn't work on him anyway. It was a look that held him motionless, it was a look that made him want to rewind and play this moment over and over again in his head, until he'd memorized it.
"There is something, isn't there?" she whispered huskily.
So close, so close, just kiss me Ro, dammit. Logan was pleading in his head.
"Why yes, darlin' I believe there is."
"It's not love, though." It was a statement, not a question, and Logan grinned at her in the slight light that the window by the stairs offered.
"Well…no, not yet." He conceded.
"What's going to happen?"
Well, he could just lunge and give her the most passionate kiss since time began. That's what he would like to happen.
"Why don't you just think about that darlin', and get back to me?"
"What do you want, Logan?"
Loaded question, Ro, very loaded. Seriously? I would like it if you kissed me and then we hauled ass up to your bedroom and then jus' – Ro broke into his train of thought as she brushed past him to climb the stairs. "I think I do have to think about it. "
He had to draw a breath that caught on his thoughts several times before he managed to voice anything. He smirked to himself, and then called after her, "you do that darlin'. You do that."
Her cheeks were flaming as she came to a halt outside her room. Goddess. Where was the maturity and serenity that she was so feted for? They seemed to have taken a permanent walk-about on this Valentine's Day. A smell that was out of sorts assuaged her nostrils and she wrinkled her nose in surprise. She pushed her door open, She couldn't remember –
Snowdrops. Everywhere. Releasing their sweet perfume into the air. Mingling with the vanilla it was the sweetest aroma Ro had ever encountered. Scattered on the bed. Draped over the headboard. Pushed through the knotholes of her old soap wood mirror.
There was another note. An origami rose. Remy should have let Logan try his hand at picking the lock of the greenhouse, for if he could produce little miniature masterpieces such as the swan and the rose, a lock would be child's play for him.
" 'See now, darlin'. I do think your hair's like spun sugar. But putting candy in your room would grate your nerves, so I had to settle for snow.
"Don't change a hair for me, not if you care for me, stay little valentine, stay. Each day is a valentine's day." "
Ororo grinned. His words were just slightly out of sync with how the song was meant to go. In fact…she thought a little harder, and then her grin grew positively wicked.
He found it on his motorcycle. Just a small little card, a snow drop and the lizard. Maybe he'd affectionately call it Gumbo. Remy would appreciate a thought like that. He had wondered why Ro hadn't come running down the stairs to thank him yet again, he had hoped for a kiss.
He opened it.
" 'Logan. You seem to have conveniently forgotten the verse to that song. Just to refresh your memory, darlin'.
"Behold the way our fine feathered friend his virtue doth parade.
Thou knowest not, my dim-witted friend the picture thou hast made,
Thy vacant brow, and thy tousled hair conceal thy good intent,
Thou noble, upright, truthful, sincere and slightly dopey gent – you are
My funny Valentine
Sweet comic Valentine
You make me smile with my heart. " "
He laughed long and hard. And then made his way down to the greenhouse, carrying the lizard . She was reclining by the pool, trailing her fingers in the water. Her expression didn't change when he strode in. "I was wondering if I had underestimated how long it would take you to get to your bike and find it. " She smiled charmingly at him.
"It's not love, Ro." Not yet. Or maybe it is. Maybe it's been there all along. But I don't want to ruin this by voicing it now.
"Oh I quite agree, Logan."
"But don't rule it out." She raised an eyebrow in surprise, her forehead wrinkling. Logan fell down beside her, remarkably gracefully despite his heavy frame. He reached out and smoothed the wrinkle away with one hand, and tilted her head up with the other. It was her lips that reached up to his, and the kiss was spellbinding. His stomach dropped - and it wasn't due to the remnants of Cyke's lasagne that probably still lurked there – it was something else. A warm feeling unfurling inside of him, a feeling that enveloped him for a one magical moment in the magical place he'd created for her.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Logan." She kissed him again, and nothing was said for quite some time.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Ro. I'm glad you liked it."
"Oh I liked it. A lot." She gave him a fiendish grin, and widened her eyes. " Although I am going to be intrigued to see what you come up with for St. Patrick's Day."
"You celebrate that?"
"Of course. Just because I don't look Irish doesn't mean that I'm not Irish to the core, Logan. Something to do with clovers I think. And leprechauns. Oh, and –"
Logan just smiled lazily at her and silenced her by pulling her in for another kiss.