Storm stood outside the mansion with kids crowded around her, each of them bright eyed and bushy eared, hanging onto her every word.
"After Gambit ran outside, I conjured the biggest storm I could." They all gasped and Storm lavished in their attention, not for her ego, but for the innocence of it. After a week of tracking down Mr. Sinister, she yearned for something to remind her that life wasn't just bad guys and big explosions. That's why she volunteered to take the younger students to the gardens. There fresh outlook on life renewed her own.
"Can you make a storm for us now?" Pip, the smallest of the students, called out. His little green face lighting up. She smiled and raised one hand, creating a small, stormy cloud. There was another round of gasps, Pip stood up to touch the cloud, but Storm made it whip out of his reach. He giggled and began to chase it, soon after, all of the kids joined him, yelling and shouting.
Storm laughed as two kids attempted to team up and jump the cloud. It was so nice to release her stress by laughing and not training. Physical activity always took from her, but laughing, laughing gave. She continued to do so until she saw a figure making its way toward her. Logan. Quickly, she waved the cloud away. The kids squealed and followed it.
"What's the matter, Logan?" She called, tension in her voice. Logan shook his head.
"Nothing's wrong. Professor X just wanted me to tell that after you're done here, you're needed in the Danger Room." He said, and Storm relaxed. "I'm not always the bearer of bad news." He added with a smile.
"I know that, Logan. It's just that…" She watched the kids chase the cloud even further. "There's been so much stuff going on, and I just wanted to enjoy this beautiful day." He sat down beside her, which surprised Storm. Quiet moments weren't something she shared often with others.
"Beautiful day? There are clouds covering the entire sky." He chuckled. Storm closed her eyes as if the sun was on her face.
"Some days don't need shine to be beautiful." She opened her eyes to find him staring at her. Her heart skipped a her power, she reached for the wind and pulled the cloud toward them, she couldn't take another moment alone with him. The kids squealed when they saw Logan. The younger students always seemed to have an affinity for him.
"Wolverine!" Pip yelled. The cloud was forgotten as all the children tackled him. Storm laughed as Logan tried to untangle himself from them, but they were mutant children, and you didn't just untangle yourself from mutant children. He started to scold them, but his heart wasn't in it.
Storm was laughing until Logan bellowed in his low growl. "Let's all tackle Storm!" The kids were like his army and he was the General. Storm was on her feet in no time. The kids ran after her, a few moments passed before Logan joined in. Almost immediately, he caught her and twirled her around. She was laughing so hard she couldn't put up a fight. The kids cheered and he lowered her to the ground, his lips brushing against her ear.
"You're right. Some days don't need to shine to be beautiful."