The Games We Play – by Darlin
A/N – This is dedicated to all the recent reviewers which were the impetus that got me writing again, and particularly Hellzz-on-Earth, a kind reviewer and new lover of RoLo, who said that anything's possible in regard to T'Challa. I want to thank her and all the other kind reviewers who've straggled in after all this time to take the time to let me know there's still some love for RoLo out there and that some of my old stories are still being enjoyed. Thank you!
Disclaimer – I don't own them, make no profit from this or any story and no copy write infringement intended.
-xox-
Chapter One – Lesson Number One
"Okay girls, I'm going to tell you how to hold on to your man and get him to marry you," declared Emma, the White Queen, with all her usual bravado, "Although," she added, "Ororo, our once upon a time royal highness, should already know this, except we all know that didn't exactly work out as well as she hoped it would."
Rogue, Ororo, Kitty and Jubilee groaned. They'd just been sitting around talking in Rogue's room minding their business, just gossiping a little about people they knew, people they didn't know, movie stars, reality stars and the like. But in between the gossiping there was a whole lot of complaining about the men in their lives or lack of men in Jubilee's case. Emma had heard them talking as she'd come down the hallway, the door ajar as if an open invitation. She'd first thought better of interfering, shaking her head slightly, annoyed for even doubting herself but then she realized she knew exactly how to solve their problems and so she'd strode into the room dressed in her skimpy white top and skin tight white leggings looking as confident of what she said as any woman who wore skimpy clothes and had men drooling over them all the time.
"It's easy, just stop sleeping with them or don't sleep with the next man you meet as in your case, Jubilee," said Emma before anyone could say anything and with a wag of her finger at Jubilee. "Oh, I know what you're all thinking even without aid of my exceptional mental powers but you poor darlings, I can count the number of men I've slept with on one hand – can you?"
"Well, actually, yeah," Jubilee confessed.
"Me too," Kitty said.
"Me three," Rogue said with a smirk.
"Hey, don't look at me like I'm the exception!" exclaimed Ororo when the others turned to her. "I think we can all count the number of men we've slept with on one hand, Emma although frankly I'm a little skeptical of your claim."
"You would be but although I may have spent a number of years with . . . a certain type of club . . ."
"Catering in all kinds of explicit . . ."
"Explicit fun, yes, Kitty an apt description, thank you!" enthused Emma, effectively cutting Kitty off. "However I'm a telepath remember? And thus I'm the woman who knows how to fake it better than any other woman." She laughed when she saw them looking uncertainly at each other. "I always forget you need all the dots connected in order to keep up," she went on, "It's simple. Every man in that club thought he rocked my world and I rocked his. It saved a lot of icky bouts of intercourse, mental or physical mind you, with even ickier men." She smiled again as if remembering the countless men she'd simply mind wiped into thinking she was the best there was at what she was supposed to be doing back then.
Jubilee said, "I'm kinda glad my old teacher really wasn't a hooker in the Hellfire Club."
"So am I, darling."
"Yeah, well I still don't get what your point is," said Kitty, "I mean if you don't sleep with a guy wouldn't they just find someone else to sleep with eventually? I mean it isn't like we all have your mind manipulating abilities."
"How droll. I may have used my telepathy to keep dirty paws off me but I have never been in need of my power in order to hold onto a man I actually want to be with."
Ororo started to say something as she thought about just how Emma first got to Scott while her best friend and Scott's wife Jean was still alive but instead she merely sighed, shook her head, and closed her mouth.
"All I'm doing is trying to make you understand! I'm honestly trying to help you because I actually know it works, I've done it, or rather not done it and it does work. Yes, it's an old fashioned premise but then at heart I am truly an old fashioned girl whether you chose to believe that or not. The fact has been well demonstrated for eons, men seldom buy the cow when they can get the milk for free. Try it and see. Oh, sorry, Ororo, that won't work on Logan, it only works with normal men and he's quite the man-whore."
"Logan is not!" snapped Ororo.
"Really, darling? We all know he couldn't count all the women he's slept with and not married on all ten fingers, six claws, and ten toes now don't we?"
Ororo couldn't help frowning. Emma's words hurt, they hurt a lot because she and Logan had started dating again now that she was divorced and Logan had broken up with his girlfriend.
"Final words of wisdom, darlings, stop giving out the goodies for free and most men will quickly come around."
"Or they'll just go ta someone else who's giving it out for free, sugah," laughed Rogue.
"You would know I suppose."
"Emma!" Ororo hissed.
"Oh, no that's alright, Ro, Emma ain't botherin' me none. But ya know she's actually made a good point, ah do know. Remy an' me are on a break but he always keeps comin' back ta me so . . . well, maybe Emma's right."
"Well, whatever," Emma said and then with eyes wide exclaimed, "You mean you think I'm right?"
"Ah said maybe."
"So you're saying if Kitty and Peter stop sleeping together Peter'll be all frustrated an' he'll marry her?" inquired Jubilee curiously.
"Most likely. Peter's unlikely to look elsewhere because he really loves Kitty but what incentive has he to marry her when he's getting all the benefits without marriage?"
"Who said I wanted to get married anyway?" exclaimed Kitty.
"All women do. There wouldn't be so many abysmal wedding shows on cable if it wasn't the everywoman dream."
"I don't," Jubilee muttered.
"You just don't have a man yet and you of all people can use my advice, Jubilee."
"You mean I should play hard to get in other words?"
Emma laughed. "No, Jubilee. We never play games with our men, games are for children and though men are oftentimes hard to discern from children games are not how you win and keep a man."
"Soooooo . . . just plain don't sleep with him then?" queried Jubilee.
"Remarkable comprehension."
"I suppose you think we should dress like you too," Kitty snorted.
"It would certainly draw the men out of the woodwork granted but no, no you don't have to dress as evocative as I do especially if you don't have a figure as nice as mine. I'm afraid the way I dress is an old habit I picked up at the Hellfire Club, it keeps men off balance, and I've found old habits die hard more often than not. Nevertheless, you must admit I have toned it down. "
"I've always wondered how you kept up that old suit of yours," Kitty said, looking down at her own less endowed chest.
"Implants," teased Ororo.
There was a collective gasp and a snicker while Emma looked shrewdly at Ororo and said, "You're good, Ororo. I wouldn't have thought you'd be the one to have noticed. I had the best Brazilian doctor money could buy and I see no reason to deny it when I look so damn good."
Ororo just shook her head in disbelief though she didn't know why Emma's overconfidence still amazed her.
"Wow! They're really implants?" asked the impressed Jubilee.
"When you can afford it I'll give you my doctor's name."
"Emma, please! Jubilee does not need implants!" Ororo said defiantly.
"The well endowed are always utterly ignorant of how lesser endowed women feel," replied Emma haughtily. "We'll, talk later, Jubilee. As for you, Kitty heed my advice and you'll soon have Peter hook, line, and sinker as they say.
"Now you, Ororo are a lost cause. Logan will never come around no matter how hard you might try my method. And you're quite familiar with the method; you had Forge on his knees and caught your prince. Hmm, although I must admit Logan does seem rather taken with you, after all he did take you back after your marriage fiasco but . . ." Emma paused and shook her head, "No. He's just not the marrying type."
"Okay, that's enough, Emma. I have better things to do than sit around listening to your inept advice." And so Ororo got up and stalked out of the room.
"The truth hurts so very deeply," Emma observed and then sat down beside Rogue on the bed where Ororo had just gotten up from. "Now tell me about that singer you were talking about, the one who . . ."
Ororo shut the door so she wouldn't have to listen to Emma's overly friendly, inquisitive voice drone on. Sometimes she hated how Emma had woven herself into their lives. Supposedly Scott loved the woman but Ororo had a suspicion that Emma was manipulating him despite her earlier comments. You didn't go from sweet, kindhearted Jean to nasty, haughty Emma without some type of nudge in the realm of telepathy. But then again Ororo was willing to give most people the benefit of the doubt and Scott wasn't really lovey dovey with the woman and Ororo would've expected sheer devotion from the man if Emma really was controlling him.
Love was such a hard thing to understand. And that was Ororo's problem. She'd been divorced now for six months, dating Logan for five of those months and yes, having sex for four of those months. It just kind of happened one evening. After he kissed her at the door to her room after an evening out she just told him to stay and he did. Sex with Logan was on a different level than sex with her ex but they both knew how to get to a woman. Ororo hated to admit it but she'd become addicted to Logan only it wasn't just the sex that had gotten to her. She wanted to be with him more and more, even just to sit there and look at him sometimes, saying nothing just relishing being with him. She loved the way he made her laugh so hard she had to fight to keep from wetting her pants. She loved that burly, gruff manner of his on the outside and the sweet tender heart inside. She adored the way they meshed. He knew her better than anyone; she trusted no one more than him.
Before her marriage they'd dated a little but something had always held them back from anything more. Back then she'd believed it wasn't something but someone and she'd respected his unspoken but die hard feelings for her best friend. Despite that, she'd cared very much for Logan but then she'd reunited with her first love, someone who actually let her know he wanted her, and he'd swept her off her feet Back then T'Challa had seemed crazy about her and did everything with her but Emma was right, it hadn't turned out like she'd expected. Mostly, she supposed because she'd been thinking with other parts instead of her brain. She'd loved him with a love you always have for your first love, but nostalgia can only last so long and after a while when he had less and less time for her it wasn't enough. He moved on to new adventures without her and so she'd been forced to admit she needed to move on too.
Happily ever after had been the plan. No one expects to get divorced. Queen Ororo. She'd liked the sound of that, the fairy tale princess, the queen that lived happily ever after with her handsome princely king, only it wasn't ever going to be that way now. Maybe Emma was right and most women wanted that fairy tale with the prince, the beautiful wedding, and a happy ending. Staying with Logan meant she'd never have any of that again but she knew it might be too late for her to back out now.
She'd been falling in love with Logan for years and years. After her divorce she'd given up fighting it, taken what she could get, and had been happy enough. But happy enough wasn't really good enough anymore. She wished she didn't want more and yet she wanted more. She knew he didn't. He'd drop her like a hot potato if he ever got the slightest whiff of her strong need for commitment that she knew must surely be emanating from her. She didn't think she could bear losing him, because she was sure she'd found the man she would love the rest of her life. Well, if Emma was right about one thing could she also be right about the free milk?
Now almost everyone woman has heard the age old advice about a man not buying the cow when he's getting free milk but Ororo, frankly, had not. An orphan at an early age there had been no mother figure and no real guidance when it came to things like that. Whether or not the advice was old fashioned she didn't know but she did know that she had to know that he cared for her, that she was the only woman he was with, and that they could make something out of their relationship, maybe even build a family together and she was ready to try almost anything just as any woman in love would.
The thing was that Emma was definitely right about Logan. The man simply wasn't the committing type. He'd committed to only one woman and then he'd had to kill her in order to end her suffering from poisoning. She had liked the Lady Mariko whom she'd thought was everything she herself wasn't. Mariko was soft, sweet, self assured and utterly feminine. Ororo never considered herself more than a rough woman from the wild, the only feminine thing about her, her love of shoes. She especially loved high heels because they made her feel ten feet tall, giving her a domineering position above the world who often looked down at her. Not that she needed heels to feel powerful or to dominate a man, she just loved high heels and had stacks and stacks of labeled boxes in several closets. It was materialistic and trivial, nothing she was sure Mariko would've been into but that's who Ororo was. She and Mariko were worlds apart.
In Africa Ororo was used to being adored, worshiped and respected but here in America not only was she hated because she was a mutant who could contain the winds and skies with a thought, she was also hated because of the color of her skin as well as her sex. Sometimes on those rare occasions when she was feeling lonely she felt utterly worthless compared to other women, even her friends, especially when she remembered the way Logan had looked at Jean. He'd never looked at her like that. Well, he did now but it had taken quite a while before he'd really paid attention like that with her. Was that because she wasn't good enough, not the right color, not feminine enough? She could never be Mariko, could never be Jean. Was she enough for Logan to fall in love with?
"I guess the only way I might be able to find out is if I try," Ororo muttered to herself. And so she resolved the next time she went out with Logan she would do exactly what Emma had suggested, no games, just cut him off – no sex for you anymore, bub, she thought with a wistful smile.
It didn't take long for her to run into Logan either. He was hurrying after her as she was going upstairs several hours later.
"Hey, 'Ro, what ya doin'?" was his easy greeting.
"Nothing, nothing at all."
"Wanna go get somethin' ta eat an' see a movie? They got this new action flick that oughta give us a few laughs."
Ororo perked up, the thought of the absurdities they were sure to find in the latest action movie was too enticing to pass up. They shared that in common, counting all the off the wall stunts and inaccuracies in the melees that anyone who had really fought in real battles could easily spot.
"So, you up for it?"
But she knew dinner and a movie also meant sex. Yes, she'd fallen under his spell, yes he was so good she didn't know how she'd ever be able to say no to him – just one kiss could set her off – but she knew it was now or never. She needed to do something to find out how he felt; she needed to know whether to stay with him or to let him go.
"Okay, that sounds good," she said and went up without the usual flirting she normally would've engaged in.
"Um . . . how 'bout we leave at seven, 'kay?"
"Seven's good, see you then."
Logan stared. He would've liked to have gone up with her, spend some down time with her, but it was obvious she didn't want company. He wondered if she was okay.
"Nah, she's fine," he said then headed back downstairs.
Ororo didn't tell anyone she was going to try Emma's suggestion. She didn't want anyone to laugh at her or try to talk her out of it. For that matter she didn't want anyone to know she was falling hopelessly in love with Logan especially if he didn't feel the same way.
Seven o'clock came faster than she would've liked. She'd spent a long time in a hot sudsy bath, shaved everywhere then showered off the soap scum, and then lotioned and dusted herself with a soft, light, fragrance that she knew Logan liked. Finding the right outfit took at least an hour. She tried on more than half a dozen dresses and skirts. She was determined to look mouth wateringly divine tonight and when Logan saw her coming down the steps and his mouth opened wide she figured all that time spent trying to make a memorable impression had succeeded. Now Ororo wasn't a girly girl but she did feel the shoes made the outfit so when it came to pumps cost usually wasn't a concern. Tonight she had on a pair of Christian Louboutin's, tall, red, strappy heels with equally blood red soles that matched the short, strappy red dress she'd squeezed herself into. The dress had a plunging neckline which showed off her lovely décolletage and the back of the dress, Logan saw, was daringly, arousingly low.
He grinned in admiration as he walked around her. Her hair was in a different style he wasn't used to, not quite up, not quite down but exposing her front and back to perfection. She had it pinned under in a fancy style Betsy had once taught her but he wouldn't have known or cared.
"You're beautiful, darlin'!"
She took his compliment in stride, though it secretly thrilled her. She smiled then strutted ahead of him. Logan didn't stop grinning. He eagerly opened the door for her, nothing unusual just what he did in his old fashioned gentlemanly way but there was a little bounce to his step as he imagined the night to come.
"I'm starved, how about you, Logan?"
"Starved," he said but he didn't want to bite into a steak, he was envisioning himself biting into her. Unfortunately there was dinner and a movie to get out of the way first but he opened the car door for her and off they went.
Dinner was way too long. Ororo was laughing and talking like they used to do before they'd started sleeping together, taking him into her confidence about some of the school dilemmas, security being a major concern she hadn't informed Scott about yet since the two of them had been able to break in without tripping any of the alarms last week after Logan lost his keys in the woods when they'd been doing things she made herself not think about now. They talked far too long trying to decide what was needed to improve security and then how Rogue and Remy were never going to make it work anymore than Emma and Scott so they ended up missing the movie but after good conversation and a good meal Logan felt the evening had been a total success and was going to get even better. Only an unexpected roadblock appeared in the form of a particular ex husband.
"Hey, Ororo I didn't know you'd be here," T'Challa smiled that perfect smile of his that used to make her melt.
They were just leaving, he was just arriving. She was stunned. He looked gorgeous. She had to admit it too. He always looked good in a tux and he had one on now which meant some late night soiree with bigwigs. She glanced around, saw he was alone and she couldn't help smiling with satisfaction.
"So you and Wolverine got back together," T'Challa said when Ororo merely smiled and nodded a greeting.
"So you flying solo?" Logan nearly growled.
"Me? Um, no. My dates're in the restroom – you know how women do."
"Nope, Ro don't' do all that preppin' ta fake out men'," Logan did growl out this time.
"Ah, then that goes to show how little you really know the goddess," T'Challa observed with a look of superiority.
"I . . . I . . . !" Ororo stammered in frustration but he was already turning away as two women came up to him, each sliding an arm around him.
Logan whistled low under his breath, duly impressed. Ororo wished the floor would rise up and chew her to miniscule bits of sawdust. Wasn't she worth a whistle like that?
"Ororo, I'd introduce you but I don't want to detain you," T'Challa called over his shoulder with a chuckle.
Logan glanced at Ororo who looked the angriest he'd ever seen her look before. She was fuming silently, annoyed, angry, hurt, and even a tiny bit jealous. She wanted to grab her ex by the neck with both hands and choke him till he turned blue, till he couldn't breathe, till he died!
"Whoa," Logan whispered. "It ain't like they're anywhere as beautiful as you, darlin'," he offered, hoping to calm her down.
"What?" she barked as her eyes followed her ex.
"Those bimbos – who are they but some gold diggers after his money, right? I mean yeah, he's royalty I guess, rich an' all that, guess he ain't ugly but, well . . ."
Ororo looked hard at Logan. Was he actually rubbing her nose in what she'd essentially lost? When he faltered and gave up trying to make her feel better Ororo turned her attention back to her ex. She could already imagine the night he was going to have while she was going home to be alone. She wished she was Wanda the Scarlet Witch of the Avengers and could put a hex on him, make him pay though pay for what she didn't exactly know because she was really glad and lucky to be free of him – leaving her so he could go work in a diner in Hell's Kitchen! Well of course she'd turned to Wolverine and like that was something to be ashamed of! She looked at Logan again and he gave her a lopsided grin. She wanted to glower at him, wanted to scream but all she could really do was laugh.
"That man will probably always get under my skin. I don't know why."
"Guess you love 'im."
"No, that's not it. It was more lust than love – kind of like us, great sex but not much of anything else," she added thoughtfully. "Ah well, let's get out of here before I throw up that filet mignon I just ate."
Logan wrinkled his nose in distaste but it wasn't the thought of her barfing up her meal. He never liked thinking about Ororo being with T'Challa like that, besides, he thought they had something more than just great sex. They'd just had a fine evening out; both of them laughing so hard about Emma that everyone had turned to stare. Wasn't that good and didn't that count for something?
"I think we got more 'n that, darlin'" he said, taking her hand in his.
"Really? Well, we are good friends," she replied while hoping the conversation and the unusual move of holding hands was an indicator of deeper feelings. But then, too afraid to be shot down, she continued, "We'll always be the best of friends, or at least I hope we will be after, well, you know when things end – or well, when they change."
"Yeah. Uh, change? Change how? You thinkin' 'bout gettin' back w/T'Challa?"
She laughed again, pulled her hand free then draped an arm over his shoulder. "I'll never go back down that road. I'm over him. He just . . . I don't know, maybe I just hate seeing him so damn happy when I'm – well, I wish I was happier maybe."
"What's the problem? You got the school, the kids, friends, what more could you want – two frail's clinging to you hopin' you'll throw 'em some money after you've used 'em up?"
She laughed, rich and full and he laughed too.
"Oh, Logan, you always know how to make me laugh," she whispered and leaned down a bit and kissed him close to his ear.
He drew in his breath sharply as he felt her inhale then exhale lightly in his ear. He loved it when she did that.
"Let's get home an' I'll give ya another reason ta be glad you ain't with him."
Ororo did indeed let him walk her to her bedroom where she kicked off her heels, wrapped her arms around his neck and bent her head to accommodate his kisses.
"Mmmmm," she murmured. He was the best kisser, even better than her ex husband but she remembered what she had to do and so with the deepest of sighs and then the biggest of grins she dropped her arms, reached for her small clutch which she'd dropped along with her shoes and pulled out a crisp fifty dollar bill then handed it to him.
"Thanks for dinner," she said and started to close the door behind her only Logan stretched out an arm and stopped her.
"What's this for?"
"Dinner of course."
"Huh? Why? It was my treat."
"No, I've decided it's best if we go dutch from now on."
"Dutch?"
"You know, that quaint old fashioned custom of lore," mused Ororo.
"Huh?"
"Goodnight, Logan and thanks for a nice evening."
The door shut in Logan's face leaving him completely bewildered.
"What was that about?" he groaned. Had he done something wrong? But suddenly he realized it wasn't him it was her ex who'd screwed things up for him. Well, two could play that game, Logan thought and he quickly hurried down the stairs and out the school.
-xox-
It was two in the morning when Ororo's phone rang. She'd just fallen asleep maybe an hour ago, her mind had been too busy with thoughts of Logan for her to find rest easily and now she felt as if she'd just been awakened from a drugged sleep. She groaned, hoping the phone would shut up. It didn't. She wanted to throw it against the wall but instead she rolled over and fumbled for it on her nightstand.
"Uhhh . . . huh?" Ororo moaned into the phone still half asleep.
"Get over here now and get your pet runt outta my penthouse?" T'Challa's voice shrieked into the phone.
"Aaaa!" screamed Ororo and she dropped the phone then rubbed at her ear. Who? What? Was that her husband – her ex husband trying to pierce her eardrum?
"Huh?" she managed to get out when she retrieved the phone.
"You heard me, get over here and get this crazy little hairy man out of my penthouse!" screamed T'Challa.
"What?"
"You're completely useless do you know that!" T'Challa shouted and hung up.
"Mmm, stupid . . . husband," she murmured as she curled back into a ball and soon dozed.
She had a dream shortly after that where she was sure T'Challa was shouting at her, his evening as ruined as hers. She bolted up – runt? No, she'd had to have been dreaming.
"Logan?" she called out in the emptiness of her room. "Logan? You can't be at T'Challa's!"
And if he was it couldn't be good. She reached for her robe unsure of what to do. Had she heard him right?
The phone rang again and this time she pounced on it.
"T'Challa? What's happened? Is Logan there?"
"Your little animal friend is here alright, and he's settled in for an evening of poker with his buddies – can't you control him?"
Ororo giggled then covered the phone. She could see Logan and some of his favorite card buddies, Nick Fury and Ben Grimm and who knew who else, all just lounging around T'Challa's lovely penthouse with feet propped up on the marble inlaid tables, their muddy boots having tracked mud all over the gorgeous ivory colored carpet.
"Oh, Logan," she said with admiration before uncovering the phone again. "Well, T, I'm not really sure that's my department," she told her ex, "It would seem to me if Logan thought you were up for a game of poker that's between you two."
"I didn't invite him here! I was about to go to bed and not alone when he barged in!" T'Challa hissed.
"And I was trying to sleep."
"Well, I wasn't going to be sleeping!"
Ororo frowned. He was so disgusting in his arrogance. "I don't care if you've got a whole cheerleader squad in your room, T'Challa," she retorted.
"Then why'd you say anything at all if you don't care?"
"What? Why do you have the need to keep me informed about your love life? I really don't care what you do! I mean you just keep rubbing my face in your women, every time I see you you've got women hanging all over you. And why do I see you now more than I ever did in the last six months of our marriage? You're on magazine covers, on the news and following me to my favorite restaurant even! Why is that, hmmm?"
She had no way of knowing it but T'Challa grinned. "How was I supposed to know that was your favorite restaurant?"
"Because you used to take me there – oh never mind! I'll come get Logan if you want, I was wondering what was taking him so long anyway – I usually – we usually spend our nights in wild abandon."
"Just hurry up and get your ass over here!"
The phone went silent. Ororo looked at it. "Wild abandon?" she asked herself. "Really? Couldn't you have thought of something a little better than wild abandon, Ororo?"
Meanwhile T'Challa was looking at his phone – "Wild abandon my ass! With that runt? Hell no!" he snarled then glared at Logan who along with the other guys was watching him. "What the . . . okay, that's it. You think your boy's so great just wait an' see," he chuckled and turning away from the guys he made another call.
"What's goin' on?" Ben asked after waving pleasantly to T'Challa.
"Sssh," Logan hissed as he tried to figure out what wild abandon had to do with Ororo's and T'Challa's conversation having only caught T'Challa's side of it.
"Dude's not paying any attention to us," Johnny noted and T'Challa wasn't. He'd moved into his bedroom closing the door behind him and his women were now wandering around the room aimlessly touching knickknacks here and there and occasionally glancing at the poker players.
"You want to tell us why we're here, Logan?" questioned Nick.
"Man's tryin' ta move in on my woman," Logan griped.
"T'Challa?" Luke asked, surprised.
Logan threw him an angry look.
"So who's da woman? One of them dames he's got with 'im now?" Ben asked with a grin.
"Hell no! You think I'd sit here playin' cards while he tried that? Get outta here, Grimm!"
"Well, who is it then?" inquired Johnny.
Logan threw him an angry look.
"We know her?" Ben asked with a grin a mile wide.
"What makes you think you'd know her?" Logan growled.
"Oh, la de da! Like we ain't good enough fer yer woman?" Ben sneered.
Logan threw him an angry look.
"It ain't like you an' T run in the same circles, Ben, you know what I'm saying?" Luke said.
Logan threw Luke an angry look.
"Well, you don't!"
"He doesn't," agreed Johnny.
"Is it that cute little Mexican chick you been seein'?" Ben asked with a wide mischievous grin.
Logan glared around at all of them but none of them seemed to care, in fact Logan's mood was just tickling Ben to no end.
"Ya work with da dame?" Ben asked.
Logan's look darkened.
"I knew it! We do know her! An' you work with her too!" roared Ben who let out a loud guffaw.
"Well who is it?" Luke wanted to know.
"It ain't gonna kill ya ta fess up, 'specially since we took da time ta come help you out," Ben said.
"He's right, Logan," Nick said, nodding in agreement.
"Like you mugs had plans," muttered Logan.
"Who is it?" implored Johnny.
"Storm," Logan admitted with a look that dared any of them to say anything.
"Storm?" Johnny was confused.
"Storm!" Luke was obviously shocked.
"Storm!" Johnny whistled, not confused any more.
"I knew it!" Nick muttered to himself.
Ben just laughed his big bawdy laugh and pounded the table he was so amused.
"You – you hittin' . . . Storm?" gasped Luke, the implications unsettling.
"Watch your mouth, Cage," Logan said, half rising from his seat.
"Sit your hairy ass down, man!" Luke shouted. "I ain't tryin' ta be all up in your business, you know what I'm saying! I mean I always thought the babe was a dime an' like real upper class but damn, man she's T's ex wife! What're you thinkin'?" Luke looked towards T'Challa's bedroom door and wondered why his friend hadn't told him what was going on.
"A dime? What's a dime?" Johnny asked.
"It ain't a dime a dozen that's fer sure," Ben chuckled.
"It means she's a ten, she's hot, bad, fine you know what I'm saying?"
"Oh. Hey, wait, Ororo was the one who divorced T'Challa wasn't she? That was like way out of the blue, I never expected they'd break up." Johnny said and then, "Bro, are you the reason she left him?"
"Yeah – no! I mean I didn't have anything ta do with her leavin' him. We got t'gether after that." Logan, muttered secretly proud of the compliments the guys were giving Ororo.
"How long you two been going out?"
"Maybe four, five months, not long."
"Five months? They ain't been divorced five months!" Luke exploded.
"Yeah they have."
"They got divorced in . . . uhhhh . . ." Luke was counting in his head, fingers wiggling unconsciously, as he tallied up the months a few times to be be sure. He finally gave Logan a strange look and said, "Dang, she ain't wait too long did she, what a month?"
"So what? It ain't Ro's fault! We were t'gether before she got with him, maybe she realized I was the one she should've married," Logan said defensively.
"What? So you an' 'Roro're gettin' married now?" bellowed Ben.
"Shut up! You want him ta hear us?" Logan warned. "No, we ain't gettin' married, it was just a figure of speech."
"It's all good, Logan it ain't none of our business anyway what you an' Storm do, man," Luke said. "You just think you tight with someone, you know what I'm saying? I mean, man! I was his best man! You'd think he would've told me something!"
"So, let's see, the gist of it is that they're divorced but T'Challa's trying to get Storm back," Nick summed up the situation succinctly.
"Yeah, somethin' like that, least that's what I'm thinkin'. He showed up an' ruined our night – thinks he's being funny."
"Thinks he's being slick," muttered Luke with a bit of resentment since he felt he should know T'Challa better than any of them.
"So, you're ruinin' his night, that it?" Ben figured it out.
"Pretty much."
"All nighter?" Nick asked.
"Pretty much," repeated Logan.
Nick grinned then pushed away from the table a bit, patted his thigh, and waved the women over. One had been eying him and she immediately plopped down in his lap and the other, after looking hard at everyone there as if trying to make some kind of decision, put her hands on her hips and studied Fury.
"Are you famous too?" she asked hopefully.
A/N – For anyone who's interested Chapter Two, Lesson Two is finished and will be up in a few days, I'm just tweaking it.