April 27-28, 2010
I was working on the first chapter of this and felt it needed at least one more chapter. So, here you go!
I own nothing. And this literally flowed out of me. It was insane how quickly I typed this out on Tuesday! And then on Wednesday I needed barely any inspiration!
May 5, 2010
I am SO SORRY. This was supposed to be chapter two, but I must've uploaded chapter one again… Crap. Well, here you go…
Impatience rolled off of the man in waves, and nobody dared go near him.
Nobody, that is, but Kitty.
Rogue would've done it, but she couldn't phase through adamantium should Wolverine get angry.
So it was Kitty who approached her mentor, curious and supportive despite the fact the man could attack her at any moment.
"Don't worry," she ventured positively. "You'll be fine. She's the one. I can feel it."
Logan didn't so much as grunt, lost in his thoughts.
"I just don't know, Chuck."
Logan paced the study as Charles sat patiently, waiting for his old friend to continue.
"I mean, we've known each other for a long time. And we get along well."
At Xavier's raised eyebrow, he amended, "Most of the time."
He sat, then stood, resuming his pacing with his hands on his temples.
"I'm so confused. I… I care about her, you know? But at the same time…"
He paused, not sure he should divulge this tidbit.
Charles only motioned for him to continue, and Logan sighed, "I'm dangerous."
"She knows what you're capable of, Logan."
"Does she? Does she know all of it?"
"I'm sure nothing would surprise her."
"Except the fact I actually initiated a kiss…"
The professor chuckled. "Well, yes, that baffles me, too. But you know each other so well. It was about time you acknowledged your true feelings."
Logan stopped pacing, staring.
"You think… you think I'm in love with her?"
Charles nodded. "And she you."
"That's ridiculous!" Logan sputtered, frowning.
"The students know," Charles reminded him. "And the staff. I'm rather surprised you didn't come to me earlier."
"But…love? I can't love her!"
"Why? Because you're dangerous?"
"Yes! That's exactly why!" Logan growled, resisting the urge to stab the chair he was now sitting in.
"I can't love people, Chuck. I can't put them in danger."
"And yet you're here, helping the students."
"That's different," Logan protested lamely.
"Why? Because they're students? Logan, you care for them, and you care for Ororo. You would sacrifice yourself for any of their sakes."
Charles steepled his fingers as he continued, "Though I'm sure you would be more willing to for Kitty, Rogue, and Laura than the other students. You have a special connection with the girls, and you and Ororo—"
""Are perfect for each other,"" Logan finished the cliché.
"Well, yes, I suppose. If you want to put it that way."
"I just…I don't see how this is supposed to work!" Wolverine ranted, standing.
"Give it time," was all the professor said as Logan stalked out of the room.
Time had helped, Logan had to admit.
Over the last few weeks, he'd had time to think it over.
The kids had helped, inadvertently.
They couldn't have heard his talk with Charles, but every single one of them seemed to know that he and Ororo had gotten closer lately.
They cited many reasons, the main one being that they were acting like a pair of love-struck teenagers.
Wolverine had just about shish-kabob'ed Cyclops for that one, but the next comment had stopped him dead in his tracks.
"Aw, c'mon, man. You know as much as the rest of us do that you're in love with her. Stop holding back and go tell her."
They couldn't possibly have known about the kiss (er, kisses), a fact for which Logan was glad—the hooligans knowing that bit of info would have sparked a betting pool and match-making process that would have driven him nuts.
But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that Chuck was right: he and Ro were a good match.
They were both Mutants, for one. They understood each other's struggles.
They both helped at the Institute—and Ro loved every minute of it.
The more he thought, the more he realized he needed her. Something within him went haywire when she wasn't around. Ironic as it sounded, Storm kept him grounded. He needed that.
So now, here he stood in his (albeit annoying) suit, waiting for the Thanksgiving feast to begin.
Well, he was waiting at the bottom of the stairs to escort Ororo, but still.
Kitty waved a hand in front of his face and snapped him out of his reverie.
"Um, Mr. Logan? You might want to turn around," Half-pint whispered before slipping back to her place next to Kurt and the other students.
Doing as she suggested, Logan turned and felt his jaw hit the floor.
Ororo was standing at the top of the staircase in the fanciest dress he had ever seen.
The sleeveless black gown fit her perfectly, and the gold fabric that lined the top and bottom also descended a bit from just above hip to just below the other, surrounded by sparkles in an interesting pattern.
The color scheme was echoed in her footwear, he noted, grinning inwardly as he realized Ororo was wearing flats as opposed to heels. They were simple, the only embellishment a thin ribbon of gold at the top.
As Ororo reached the bottom of the staircase, Logan caught a glimpse of the back of her dress: the gold near her hips circled around, and the top half was tied together corset-style.
"Logan?" Ororo asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Uh…yeah?" he stammered, not sure what to say.
"Tell her she looks beautiful," Kitty hissed, her head popping out of the floor at his feet.
He waved her away, clearing his throat and echoing lamely, "You look…nice."
"As do you," Ororo replied, smiling as she adjusted his tie.
Hank and the professor appeared in the doorway a moment later, inviting the group to come and sit down so they could start their evening.
After the food had been eaten, Charles suggested everyone share something they were thankful for. They went around the table, starting with Charles.
When they got to Logan, he rubbed the back of his neck, trying to calm himself.
With a sigh, the gruff instructor stood, ignoring the curious glances, and walked around the table to where Ororo sat, her eyebrows furrowed in curiosity.
Logan held up a hand to stop her from speaking, then launched into the speech he'd been pondering and planning all week.
"I'm thankful for you, 'Ro," he declared, praying he didn't choke up as he looked her in the eye.
"I'm thankful that you've been here to help the students, but I'm also thankful that you've been patient with me. You're one of the best friends I could have asked for."
He paused, holding back tears he didn't know he could cry, and took a deep breath before continuing, "You're one of the only people here who understands me—heck, you probably know me better than I know myself! …I would be the luckiest man alive…"
He fumbled for the last bit of his speech, giving up on perfect wording and kneeling in front of a shocked Storm.
"'Ro," he asked, pulling the box from his pocket and opening it, "will you marry me?"
Ororo nodded through her tears, hugging him tightly.
Logan smiled, kissed her temple, and pulled away to put the silver band on her finger.
Ororo gazed at it, ecstatic, and laughed when she saw the tiny Xs around the outside, three on either side of the small, princess cut diamond.
"Six?" she asked, confused.
"One for each year we've known each other," Logan replied, winking as he added, "Or for the first six hooligans we taught."
"Hey!" exclaimed five of said six, indignant, but Logan ignored them.
"So…" Tabitha ventured. "When's the wedding?"
"And who's gonna be in your bridal party?" Amara demanded.
"Oh, this is going to be so much fun!" Jubilee cried. "Help plan the wedding, be in the wedding…"
"Students," Charles chuckled. "Please, settle down. They've only been engaged a few minutes!"
"But they've been in love with each other forever!" Jean insisted, throwing a Look at the couple. "And don't try to deny it."
Logan and Ororo exchanged a look, shrugging and holding up their hands in surrender.
"Doesn't matter to me," Logan stated, looking at Charles. "Let 'em plan the wedding."
A cry of "YES!!" filled the room, and Logan grinned.
"December," Kitty decided, turning to the rest of the girls. "Don't you think?"
"Winter wedding!" Jean exclaimed. "It's perfect!"
"Great, that gives you a year to plan…" Logan began, but Kitty interrupted, "No, silly, this December!"
Logan and Ororo stared at the girl, hoping they were dreaming.
"That's… that's less than a month from now," Ororo sputtered.
"Well, we can have the wedding here, and it's not like you've got anybody but your family to tell," Kitty rattled off.
"We can have the wedding right here at the mansion," Jean added. "Hank has a license to perform marriage ceremonies, don't you?"
When Beast nodded, Jean turned back to Logan and Ororo. "See? It'll work!"
"And besides," Scott added, and Logan could have sworn he saw the kid wink at him, "I would think you wouldn't want to wait any longer than you absolutely have to for the honey—"
"SCOTT!" Charles, Jean, and few of the other students roared.
Ororo's eyes widened in shock and embarrassment, but Logan winked at her. "Kid has a point…"
Charles shook his head, but thankfully the girls went back to planning the wedding and drowned out further conversation.
Ororo sighed and Logan glanced at her. "Too fast?"
"Oh, no," she assured him, smiling slightly. "I'd just like Evan to be there, too."
Logan closed his eyes in thought for a moment, then hugged his fiancée, whispering, "He'll be there. I promise."
Notes: Um, I dunno. This is a little… different. But I hope you like it.
Yeah, they kind of stopped saying what they were thankful for after Logan. It was a special moment, and the tradition was forgotten for the rest of the night.
Working on the next chapter!! I'm so excited. Except that writing a honeymoon night scene is going to be interesting…
Words: about 1600
Time: Just a few hours.
Influences, Borrowed Ideas, and Other Random Crap:
The formal Thanksgiving feast came from Lizzieturbo's "Normal"—the middle of chapter four, to be precise.
Kitty popping up to give Logan a line kind of came from The Santa Claus—The Marriage Claus. You know, the part where the elf girl tells Santa how to propose? =)
Ro's dress was found here: http: // image . made -in-china. com/ 2f0j00dewEJ BFKwQuI/ Formal-Evening-D (minus spaces),
I tweaked the shoes a bit, too, but this was the basic inspiration: http:/ /www. comfortoneshoes. com/ ProductImages/ (w/out spaces)
AND I tweaked (you guessed it) the engagement ring. Here's the original: https:// www. birks .com/media/ products/22896/ 380/905027-27471 .jpg
Just imagine little Xs running around the outside as described above.
Six years is a guesstimate on my part.
I'm totally disregarding the whole "Black Panther marriage" thing in Storm's comic history. And Wolverine's marriage to what's-her-name.