Skin Deep

Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Time for Logan Time…

Chapter Twenty-Five

Rogue's vampires came awake with the knowledge that someone other than their mate was above them in their new home. Before either of them could speed upstairs – a rather foolish endeavor since the sun was still an hour or so from setting – Rogue came to the bedroom doorway and smiled at them.

"I felt you two were close to rising." She said, moving to give them each a long slow kiss as they remained reclining on the bed, her ease showing them that whoever was above wasn't a threat.

"We have company?" Godric asked, after the three of them shared a few affectionate caresses. Normally they would jump right into sating their desires upon rising but her last words before sleeping and the presence of someone else in their home stayed them.

"Hmm." Rogue hummed softly as she moved to straddle Eric, tangling one hand in his long messy hair. She had no such qualms about getting up to no good before sating their curiosity. "My cousin Kurt came to visit ahead of Logan."

More than happy to oblige his little mate, Eric tumbled her down onto the sheets between himself and Godric who was watching them in amusement. Before they could really get going, Godric tugged him off her with a hand on his shoulder and pinned her in place himself, staring at her with an arched brow.

"And when is your growly father-figure going to be here?" He asked pleasantly, ignoring her minor struggles and attempts to rouse his desire. A futile endeavor, Godric is not nearly as easily distracted as Eric can be at times by carnal pleasures. Even when the person in question is so very tempting as their mate.

Sighing in frustration at his refusal to let her have her way, Rogue rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders against the sheets.

"Tonight, tomorrow." She snorted thinking about Logan's version of time management. "Could be next year. He's really bad at noticing time passing. But since he sent Kurt ahead I would think sometime tonight."

Godric kept her pinned to the bed with by straddling her hips as he reached over and drew Eric to them, taking his progeny in a scorching kiss as Rogue reached up and tangled her fingers in the hair at their necks.

"Now can we play?" She asked, thoroughly aroused by both the scene above her and Godric's take-charge attitude.

"Yes, little love." Godric broke away from Eric's nipping kisses, taking her wrists in hand and pinning her to their bed. "Now we can play."

*l*l*l*l*

After sating – temporarily at least – their desires both for sex and blood, the three of them showered and got dressed before heading upstairs.

Knowing full-well that they were going to meet at least one member of Rogue's family, Godric threw on the nicer change of clothes of the few things he kept at Eric's in case of emergency and then brought to Rogue's home. The tailored cream linen slacks, dark blue silk long-sleeved button down that matched his eyes, crisp white jacket, and white leather belt might not be the best match for his brown motorcycle boots that he wore the night before, but it was better than jeans and a t-shirt. Eric on the other hand went with his normal all-black only in leather. Leather pants, leather motorcycle boots, leather jacket, and a black silk t-shirt underneath it all.

Their Rogue's attire was somewhat perplexing for Godric. From what he understood, both from his conversations with herself and Eric and from the shared dreams, when his little light was going to be around a group of people she generally tried to cover every inch of skin in one way or another. Usually by utilizing stockings, gloves, scarves, etc. The only exception was Fangtasia, her confidence in Eric's protection – up to and including keeping humans from touching her – such that she loosened her clothing strictures there.

Tonight she was nowhere near covered from head-to-toe as he would expect.

Indeed, Godric would say her mood and subsequent choice in attire was rather…dangerous.

Which made both himself and Eric rock-hard in a matter of moments when they clued into it.

She was matching both of them after a fashion. Like Eric her clothing was all-leather, an affection for the material something the two of them shared. But like Godric she went light instead of dark. Her tiny leather shorts were a dark blue that matched Godric's shirt, with knee-high white leather boots and a miniscule white leather halter top that bared a good portion of her back, shoulders, and stomach. The only nod to her mutation was the white leather jacket and wrist-length gloves she put on before leaving the basement. Her hair was down and in a wild mane all around her head and shoulders, tumbling down her back while she'd slicked her mouth with something that made it shine blood-red.

Yes, his little mate was in a dangerous mood.

Her vampires could hardly restrain themselves from locking her in their bedroom and not letting her out.

Only her transparent excitement to introduce them to her cousin coming strongly through their bond kept them from following through on that shared desire.

For the moment at least.

The night is young after all.

*l*l*l*l*

Rogue bounced into the kitchen with her loves following patiently behind her, already warned about Kurt's rather shocking appearance for those who've never made her cousin's appearance before.

"Kurt!" She beamed a smile, holding out her hand for him to take as he rose from his seat at the island, setting down his cup of tea at their entrance. "These are my mates. Godric," she brought him over to them, motioning to the younger-looking vampire first. "And Eric."

"Schön, Sie zu treffen, Godric und Eric." (Nice to meet you, Godric and Eric.) Kurt nodded to each of the vampires in turn, being cautious in his manner. He didn't want to offend his cousin but neither is he certain of her choice in lovers. Although he is gladdened that she has found happiness, he is still a Catholic priest and would prefer she was married in the church to another of their faith. "Ich bin Rogue Cousin, Kurt." (I am Rogue's cousin, Kurt.)

"Guten Abend, Kurt." (Good evening, Kurt.) Godric and Eric said in turn before Eric took the lead, Godric preferring to observe for the moment, sensing the blue mutant's discomfort with the situation.

"Wir sind beide froh, ein Mitglied unserer Familie Liebe zu erfüllen." (We are both pleased to meet a member of our love's family.) Eric said smoothly, seeing the pleased reaction the mutant had to being spoken to in his own language.

"I told you they probably spoke German." Rogue teased her cousin, having caught his look of surprise at Eric's words herself.

"Also Sie getan haben." (So you did.) Kurt said ruefully. "Ich bin glücklich, zu sehen, Sie so glücklich, Vetter." (I am happy to see you so happy, cousin.)

Sending a mischievous look at her vampires who looked rather pleased themselves over the implied compliment he just paid them, Rogue pulled up Jean's power for a moment to send Kurt a private thought that would do nothing but inflate their egos even further if she said it aloud.

What woman wouldn't be with them in her bed?

Rogue burst into laughter at the bright-purple coloring of Kurt's cheeks – his version of a heated blush – over her teasing.

"I am unsure about what just happened," Godric commented arching a brow at his little mate as they all moved into the living room. "But you shouldn't tease your cousin so. He is a man of the cloth."

"Sorry, Kurt." Rogue smothered her giggles as Eric sent her a knowing smirk, having a good idea about what sort of comment would have the priest reacting that way.

Before the Viking could pressure her into admitting to whatever naughtiness she was teasing her cousin with her head whipped towards the front door and she gave a groan.

"Perfect timing, as usual." She grumbled, a scowl marring her lovely face for the briefest of moments before smoothing out. "Just when I was enjoying myself."

"Es wird nicht so schlimm sein." (It won't be that bad.) Kurt tried to console his cousin who had been fuming over Bobby's imminent arrival for most of the day as she carried out her chores and errands with his help. He particularly enjoyed meeting her other cousin's grandmother Ms. Adele and was looking forward to talking with her further over the next few days.

Rogue just gave a snort and an eye roll in answer to that as she moved to answer the door. She was standing before it with her vampires flanking her back and tapping one foot by the time the X-Men made it onto her porch, her senses working overtime when it came to Logan. She has so much of him in her that he's easy for her to sense when he is close by.

"Ready to meet her dad?" Eric asked his Maker jokingly.

"Are you?" Godric countered with an arch look. "Somehow of the two of us I have a feeling you are going to be found more suspect."

"Only because you have that innocent appearance." Eric complained. "You are by far the more deadly of the two of us."

Sending them a fulminating look, Rogue took a deep breath and opened the door.

*l*l*l*l*

Logan was itching to see his little Marie. He didn't approve of her leaving the Manor in the first place although he of all people couldn't argue with her need to go. Stupid damned Ice-Prick. What kinda guy gets a shot with a girl like Rogue and blows it for Christ's sake?

Then he got that fucking all from Gumbo, telling him that she was being all emo-and-shit again. Last time that happened, it was 'Tooth calling and he had to go all the way to fucking Japan to talk some sense into her before she did something irrevocable. Only the call he got a day or so after Gumbo's from 'Tooth kept him from ditching the mission altogether and hauling ass to Bon Temps.

Although he still isn't happy about what 'Tooth had to say. Undead fucker buzzing around his little Marie.

What-the-fuck?

Then 'Ro had to go and insist that he take some of the junior-geeks with him. Fine. Whatever. But then she said Ice-Dick had to go.

Like him and Rogue won't see right through that.

'Ro wants the Rogue back and fightin' for the X-Men.

Like he's gonna let that happen.

If the kid finally has a shot at bein' happy, he's gonna make damn sure mutant-fucking-politics doesn't get in the damned way. She deserves it more'n anyone else he knows. He's just glad she didn't find her happy with 'Tooth. No damned way did he want that big bastard as a son-in-law.

The undead fucker just might be an upgrade over that. Might be.

So here he is, standin' on the front porch of her house – and what a house – waitin' on her to open the damned door. He knows she knows they're there. He can smell 'er and a coupla others in there with her. He's got the firecracker, tin-man, and Ice-Ass with him, which is probably the problem. He doesn't know what arrangements she's made but he highly doubts she wants Ice-Douche in her home.

Can't say that he'd blame her for that either.

Grinning around the cigar he was chewing on, Logan saw what she was wearing when she opened the door. A don't-fuckin'-touch-me outfit if there ever was one for Ice-Prick's benefit no doubt. Like Logan gave a fuck.

Pulling her into his arms, he picked her up and whirled her around in a bear hug right there on her porch, ignoring the mini-X-Men scattering as he came close to hittin' them with her.

"Hey darlin'." He smirked at her as he gave her a whopping kiss on the forehead. "How ya doin'?"

oOoOoOo

"Iceman is staying next door." Rogue said once Logan let her go, putting her back on her feet. She looked directly at her dad, refusing to even glace at the pouting blonde. "With Ms. Adele. Jubes and Pete too. Kurt will take them."

With a bamf, Kurt appeared on the porch behind the group and collected the younger mutants before they could get caught up in the family reunion. The last thing Rogue wants is her private business getting spread around the Manor and Jubilee isn't known for her discretion. Besides that, one confrontation between a mutant and her vampires a night is more than enough and tonight her money was on Logan and Eric going a few rounds.

Flicking a look over her shoulder at the two men – vampires he could tell from their scents – standing behind her Logan gave her a knowing smirk. He was as aware as she was of the possible clash the might break out between himself and the big blonde that matched 'Tooth's description.

"Anata wa watashi o shōkai suru tsumoridesu ka?" (Are you going to introduce me?) He asked her mockingly in Japanese, taking a gamble on the extremely-Caucasian vampires not knowing the language. A guess that turned out to be right on the money judging by the looks the two passed between themselves and their own privately-worded mini-conversation.

"Vilket språk var det?" (What language was that?) Eric asked his Maker in Swedish. The rapid sounds pouring from the scruffy mutant flying right over his head. He's learned many languages in the last thousand years but not that one.

"Japanska jag skulle satsa." (Japanese I would wager.) Godric replied thinking about the temple in Rogue's dream.

"Hai, otōsan." (Yes, Dad.) Rogue answered Logan with a grin, happy as a clam that she has a chance to drive Eric as nuts over not understanding what's going on as he's driven her with his constant talking around her in Swedish and Norwegian. About time the tables were turned on the sometimes-annoying but chronically-gorgeous vampire.

"Logan these are my mates." She said calmly, ignoring Logan's arched brow at the plural. "Eric Northman and Godric Thanatos. Eric, Godric, this is my dad Logan Howlett." Godric came from a time where most people didn't have surnames as he had explained to her when she asked. Thanatos was his Maker's name. Eric simply refused to use his mortal surname for some reason neither vampire wanted to explain, going by the simple Northman instead.

"Mates?" Logan shook his head. Only his Marie would manage to wind up bound to not one but two vampires after spending a decade cut-off from most human contact.

"Mates." Eric said nearly in growl with a flash of fang that Logan answered with a growl of his own and the snickt of his claws being unleashed.

Rogue rolled her eyes at the expected display while Godric cocked his head over the strange claws the mutant had. That was not a normal mutation by any means from what his little mate has explained about the nature of how the X-gene worked.

"Experimentation?" Godric whispered in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine as the other two males continued their posturing. Rogue turned her head, showing him the sadness in her eyes as she nodded. Godric shook his head in disgust. Some of the barbarism man is capable of still surprises him even after all these years.

Speaking up, Rogue broke into the quickly escalating dominance display between two of her favorite people as the growls turned into biting insults.

"You're not doing this out here in front of God and everybody." She said, casting them a chiding look. "If y'all have to go around before you can be cordial, at least take it downstairs where there's not a chance of your fight getting on the internet or something."

No longer cursing at each other but still glaring, Eric and Logan followed Rogue as she wrapped her arm around Godric's waist and led them down into the basement. At the least down here the damage will be contained by the adamantium-laced walls. If she let them go at it outside they could very well level the house and garage based on her own experiences with Logan's fighting abilities and what she's been told about Eric, both from the vampire himself and Godric's stories about how they met.

She led them straight into the dojo, tossing Eric his long sword. Ignoring the look he shot her over her having his prized possession hanging on her wall, she tossed a comment over her shoulder as she chose a weapon for Logan from her collection.

"Blame Godric."

"I can use my claws, kid." Logan grunted as she tried to hand him his katana that she kept for him – not the adamantium one that matches her own.

"You're not destroying a priceless antique because you don' like it's owner." She said firmly, forcing him to retract his claws and take the sword before she moved from between them.

"Are you sure about this?" Was all Godric had to say, confident in his progeny's abilities.

"Better this than the alternative." Rogue laughed as they went at each other with a resounding clang that made her wince. "At least this way they won't permanently damage each other. I kinda like havin' both of them in one piece."

Eric and Logan ignored the byplay between their audience, both wrapped up in the fight for their own reasons. For Logan it was all about testing out his girl's choice of mates. Had to make sure that they could protect her, even though she doesn't really need protecting. He also needed the fight to scrub the images knowing she was in a kinda threesome arrangement outta his head. At least one-a the three has a calm head about him. That Godric fella is gonna need it to deal with his Marie and the big blonde bastard for the rest of forever.

For Eric the fight was more a game than serious. Yes, he understood Rogue's surrogate father wanting to make sure she was taken care of. He came from a time where such behavior was the norm. Fathers in his human days often chose their daughter's spouse to ensure they would be safe and provided for. Eric also liked to test his skill against other swordsmen every so often. And Logan for all his growling and claws was a swordsman. The only part of him that was taking the match seriously was his need to prove his dominance. Eric knew he was an arrogant bastard but with such a powerful mate, he felt the need to flex his own capabilities more than ever.

The fight seemed to go on forever from Rogue's anxious perspective. Part of her wanted to be in it herself. She hasn't tested her skills in too long but she knew that Logan would take care of that while he was here. The rest of her was starting to doubt that both of them would make it through the match in one piece, despite her best efforts.

They parried back and forth, neither giving much ground, each using all the force that they could bring to bear in punishing blows against the other. Rogue winced as a particularly savage slash of Eric's long sword drew blood for a moment before it healed and sent Logan reeling backwards for several steps.

With a roar, Logan battled back stronger, almost sending Eric's sword flying with a brutal bash of his hilt against Eric's sword edge. It wasn't a proper move, but it was effective. Wanting to bring the fight to a close, Eric swung in a move too quick for Logan to follow, locking their swords together. Swinging his other arm around in a vicious roundhouse punch, Eric rang Logan's bell, making him drop to the ground.

Picking up the two swords, Eric put them back up on the displays his mate took them down from as Logan slowly climbed back to his feet, shaking his head.

"Well," Logan said, shooting Marie a look. "At least I know you won't be able to get into too much trouble with this one around." He jerked his head towards Eric. "He's as much a tricky pain in the ass as you are."