Welcome back. Part 2. Still not the end.
2.
Claws and eye-beam starts over again their friendship.
They are useful again but this time only to help their owners with food, wood, water, heating.
They won't hurt, no more.
Claws and eye-beam start over again like they never met each other and still knowing each other very well.
It turns out a lot of things didn't change even throughout countless realities – Slim is Slim and Wolverine…well…he's Wolverine.
They clash, or tend naturally to do so.
But many other things have now come clean and undeniably they catch each other very well.
They share something even deeper than characters or distinctive features.
They share respect.
They share sorrow.
§§§
It has begun as a lonely timeless journey.
It has become, at a certain point, a bet against all odds.
Now, the landscape is frozen and winter has been whitening his Earth for a very long time now.
They casually share small spaces, at first. Sometimes they talk a lot, they laugh and they cough, hiding tears one from the other. Sometimes they're quiet.
Then they start to search for each other in this small spaces and even in bigger ones, outside the log, in the woods.
They share food. It's not always endearing – camping-style – but very good though, because it's eaten by two.
They run and fight.
They star-gaze together at night, and Slim knows pretty much everything about constellation and physics. Logan teaches too, ancient tales, legends, myths, and learns a lot. He has time to absorb topics he forgot (or never knew). Sometimes he calls Scott "Doc" or "Genius" or "Professor". The other giggles and it's delightful.
His laughter now comes more freely, fresh and thrumming like autumn drizzle.
Logan instinct starts to grow restless.
It's all around him and he has no clue about it.
§§§
It's beautiful and they're alone, far from the world which, by now, could be as well as disintegrated.
Dead or Alive it doesn't matter.
Togetherness matters.
§§§
The wind blows outside in a violent rainstorm.
- Good old 'Ro.- Logan chuckles, lost in thoughts.
Scott doesn't speak and Logan doesn't add anything.
Ororo the goddess is lost, as much as the others are.
She's a missing friend, one amongst all the others.
Logan is not mourning because he lost her in lots of different ways before and sometimes it even hurt him more than
[Jeanny]
She's the name he must not think about.
She's the great void, the intense red that's been haunting his life…
- She was great. I mean, Storm was stronger than any other of us.-
- Yeah. The lady had her difficult times but she never faltered.- Logan chortles.
- Why?-
- Because she truly believed.-
Scott nods and thunder rumbles in the distance.
§§§
- How can you not know about physics, Logan?-
- Hn. Don't care.-
- You travelled through dimensions! Aren't you curious?-
- Lemme think…No, I'm not.-
- Oh, come on!-
- You're right, 'ere it is, 'ere it is:…no, I'm not and I won't ever be.-
- This can't be true!-
- It can. Now, come here, Doc, dinner's ready.-
- Oh…ok.-
- Pay attention. Meat's burning.-
- Thanks.-
- And while you eat, Slim, heed my words. There once were seven sages that, according to the ancient Mahabharata, were called Rishis…-
§§§
After a while, snow is melting and Spring is near and Sun is starting to glow again, between the branches.
Life is slowly coming back to his previous glory and it's amazing how it can completely outshine all the rest.
Wolverine runs and flashes hill to hill, claws sheathed.
His breath's fast and his body hums for the effort.
He's playing hide and seek (fighting version) with Cyclops between slants and trees.
It's funny.
He smells Scott in the air.
First his breath hitches and blood rushes; then he turns and dives.
They roll down the slope, an entangled mass of limbs, sweated fabric and hard muscles, and this is getting really complicated.
§§§
The wind blows outside in a violent rainstorm.
- Keep going, good old 'Ro.- Logan chuckles, lost in thoughts.
Scott doesn't speak and Logan doesn't add anything but he turns away from the window when he senses Slim is edgy.
- What's up, bub?-
- Nothing.- he turns his eyes away and set the wood pieces into the fireplaces.
Another thunder rolls and the guy tenses again.
Silence weighs, suddenly.
- Have you two ever…- Scott dithers, looking at his own hands, still crouched in front of the fire – was she your…-
Logan's brow furrows but he stays composed. Feelings have never been easy for him.
- Yes. I did. I loved her. And I still do. She was an amazing fighter, a true friend, a reliable partner and a good lover. What else could I ask?- Logan says and doesn't add: or deserve. But it's rather implicit.
Summer remains in silence and his hands seems to carry the meaning of the whole universe because his eyes are stuck on them.
- Wasn't Jeanny like this for you?-
- Yes, she was.- he answers at once and unexpectedly, between the lines, Logan gets the distinct signal there's a complete other conversation going on here.
- I miss her. But…time's passed. Things...blur…-
Logan slightly sighs and goes to the kitchen. He takes two beer and handles one to his friend.
- I miss 'Ro a lot, too. And Jeanny.- He states sipping his beer – But I almost completely forgot about them before you came. Now things are different.-
They toast silently, their bottles clinks, their glances meet and very, very slowly, Scott Summers shies away from Logan's eyes.
Thanks to you, I'm whole again.
That's the huge unsaid that lies between them that night.
§§§
Spring days are now fully blooming and lively temperatures graces their simple patch of heaven.
It's a difficult season for Logan because his senses are constantly affected and sometimes overwhelmed.
And Nature's a bitch and likes to play a lot with hormones and things.
Logan every now and then feels himself really lost.
Slim isn't helping.
Actually, Slim is...
§§§
- We tried to kill each other.-
- Yup. Countless time. Problems?-
- You don't really have problems with this?-
- We said we'd started over again. Just me and you.-
- I think in a universe or two I also killed you.-
- So did I, bub, and watch us, now. Does it matter?-
- No…Yes…I don't kno…wait, how did you kill me?-
- Would you mind shut your mouth?-
- No, really, how…-
- Here, come. That's the bush I spotted. Berries are ripe. They'll do good with meat.-
- You bast..-
- Mmmmh….You're not coming…why aren't you? Didn't you say you'd help?-
- I…-
- So, stop babbling, really. And, by the way, you said you also killed me, so we're even.-
§§§
§§§ end part 2
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