CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT:
Dating and Mr. Bear
AN: Hey guys. I was making a citation for this chapter, and was just wondering. What's the difference between a 'web-page' and a 'web-site'? I hope you guys enjoy this latest installment! Dating advice and paternal ferals abound!
Victor arched an eyebrow at Jimmy, not sure whether or not he should be worried about his little brother talking to him about this whole 'dating thing.' The runt hadn't even acknowledged his OWN mate (as far as he knew) so what exactly made him the expert!?
"We've got other stuff ta take care of, runt." Victor gave him a low, alpha growl. "I"ll be work'n for Fury next week."
No-one could miss Cassies quick intake of breath and Victor aimed an annoyed little growl at her. "Government work, frail." His head snapped back to his brother. "What have you been tell'n her, Jimmy!?"
Logan shrugged. "It's not like your past jobs are exactly a secret, bub. Especially here."
Victor took a deep breath, trying, for once, to control his temper (at least for the moment, there was still the danger room.) His claws itched to sink into something and bring blood, sweet release.
He scanned the childrens classroom, noting the positioning of the windows, growling when he saw that the room overlooked the front gate with a clear view to the road. He cursed, making Cassie hit him on the arm (as if she could actually hurt him!)
"Victor!"
He ignored her. "Why the &^%$ is the cubs room in clear view of the street!?" he demanded of his brother. "Any mutant-hating, FoH, son of a b&^%$ could get a clear shot at the cubs!" It almost made him more angry than he was at himself for not noticing it immediately.
Logan looked at the window as if he was just realizing this fact, this 'security liability'. Horror spread over his face. "Aw &^%$." He clearly hadn't thought of that.
Victors growl increased dangerously. "At least tell me that glass is bulletproof, Jimmy."
When Logans face didn't clear, Victor actually opened his mouth to let out a loud roar when he remembered that it would probably frighten the cubs.
He wheeled around to look at his mate. "Get the cubs gathered up, mate. We're moving this class to a different room." He himself went over and personally scooped Roddy up into the safety of his arms.
Cassie blinked but hustled the children into a line, stopping two pushing matches. "Okay, you guys ever play 'Follow-the leader'?" she asked, smiling broadly when she got nods of assent and gleeful grins. "Okay, everyone. Mr. Creed is the leader, let's all follow him! Hand on hip, finger on lip." She did as she ordered, setting an example, and was rewarded with an amused, though still frustrated look from Victor.
`The cubs need some fresh air while the weather's good.` Victor thought, leading the children in a line towards one of the gardens he had found during his 'prowling'. This garden was spacious, almost like a place to eat with a few picnic benches, but it was walled in on all sides which made it perfect for the little ones to play in.
`At least the cripple made SOMETHING right.` Victor groused in his mind.
*I heard that, Victor.* came the Professors annoyed voice in his head, and Victor quickly re-erected his mental shields, growling a little.
When Roddy started on his shoulders, Victor quickly changed his growl to a purr. "No worries, cub. Just stopp'n a little conversation in my head."
The cub seemed to accept it at that and nodded.
"By the way," Victor said gruffly, searching for a way to talk to his adopted one. "I heard that growl of yours."
Victor could just feel his mates eyes glaring at him from behind and he smirked. "Ya did a good job. Needs a little work, but still not bad."
He could practically feel his cub preening ontop his shoulders.
Victor turned his neck (carefully, so that the cub wouldn't topple) to indeed see his mate glaring holes in the back of his head. He gave her his sexy bad-boy smirk, pleased when her glare turned into a blush.
Some of the cubs were getting a little restless and it was with relief that Victor hustled them through a door into the enclosed green. Gently, he lifted Roddy up off his shoulders and set him on the green grass, giving him a gentle nudge. "Go play, cub."
The children immediately began running around. A few began an impromptu game of catch with a ball Cassie had had the foresight to grab before they left the classroom.
Victor watched them carefully for a few moments then, after seeing no trouble or any signs of it, sat down gracefully under an oak tree where he could still keep an eye on everyone, and gave his brother a pointed stare.
Logan ambled on over, tall and unconcerned, and Victor felt a flash of pride at his little brother. `I raised him well.` he thought in approval. `Even if he doesn't remember half of what I taught'em.`
"Alright, runt." Victor growled, feigning annoyance. "Explain this 'dating' thing ta me." Not that he needed it. His mate was HIS, lock stock and barrel, dating or not. She just hadn't accepted it yet. Still, he WAS a little curious ( he was part cat, after all.)
"Like I said before, Vic, it's kinda like courting." Logan said, pulling a fresh cigar out of his pocket. "When a man and a woman get together and talk, usually over dinner and wine, about their likes'n'dislikes, habits, what they want in a mate, that sorta thing. Then, if things work out they get engaged, then married."
Logan gave his older brother a pained look. "Please tell me you remember what marriage is, Vic."
Victor gave him a warning growl. "Course I remember marriage, runt. I remember yer Ma wasn't married to our Pa when she had you outta wedlock."
Logan gave him a flabbergasted, gobsmacked look that just brightened Victors day considerably.
"Didn't remember that, didya Jimmy. Yer a bona fide b stard." Victor said cheerily. "Don't worry, I don't hold it against ya."
"Thanks." Logan said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. He caught the yellow rubber ball when it rolled his way and tossed it gently back to the playing children.
"So, this date'n thing," Victor returned back to the main subject. "How long does it usually last?"
"Depends on the couple." Logan shrugged. "Sometimes one or two months, sometimes years."
Victor felt like groaning. "Just great."
Logan actually chuckled a little.
Victor could believe he was even asking this. "Does it have ta be dinner and a movie?" he couldn't stand movies. They were usually crowded and uncomfortable, and theatre seats were hardly suitable for his bulk. The movie was normally too loud for his sensitive ears. He had gone to one once or twice, first when they first came out in 1896 at the Vitascope (which wasn't that bad, though completely pointless; why would he want to watch someone dance anyway?) but the one he had gone to with Toad in 2000 annoyed him so much he nearly tore up the theatre.
"Not really." Logan answered, stretching his legs out infront of him. "Though that's what normally happens. Sometimes it can just be dinner or taking a walk."
Right now a walk was looking like the best bet to Victor.
"Get'er something sweet ta eat." Logan adviced. "Like chocolate or something. Women like chocolate."
Victor grunted, remembering how much chocolate Mystique had consumed during certain times of the month. "Ya can say that again."
"Had experience with that, huh?" Logan chuckled.
Victor simply grunted again.
It was just then that Roddy made his way grinning over to the 'fearsome Sabretooth' who smiled. "Have'n fun, cub?"
"Yeah." Roddy replied with a toothy smile, golden eyes gleaming. "Wanna come play with us?"
Logan nearly toppled over at Victors answer.
"Sure cub."
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…..And that was how the great, terrifying Sabretooth got roped into a game of 'Mr. Bear'.
Cassie had just taught the children the game she had learned in girl-scouts and they seemed to love it. One child (or in this case Sabretooth) was the 'bear' who laid down on the opposite end of the green pretending to be asleep while the other children started at the other end. Beginning very quietly, the children would whisper "Mr. Bear, Mr. Bear are you awake?" They would then repeat the question louder and louder as they got closer and closer to the 'bear'.
Eventually, the 'bear' would have to wake up and chase the others and whoever he caught was the 'bear' next.
Victor had both Logan and Cassie holding their sides, trying to stifle their laughter at his 'bear' act. The behemoth would lay on the grass all sprawled out like a miniature mountain while he let out huge and entirely fake snores that seemed to almost shake the ground, letting the children come closer and closer.
When he did pounce, it was with all the grace of a predator but with none of the lethalness he usually showed in hunting. Claws completely retracted, he bounded after the children on all fours like a great cat, occasionally grabbing one of them and rolling with them, using his bulk and muscle to keep the child safe.
The children seemed to like the being chased part more than anything else, so the game of 'Mr. Bear' turned into a game of free-for-all tag with much pouncing, gentle tackling and screams and laughs of joy. Even Logan joined in, becoming the second 'Mr. Bear.'
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HANK McCOY / ORORO
*Storm, Beast….* the Professors voice came to the two teachers heads as Hank was in the middle of a science class and Ororo was grading some papers.
The white-haired weather witch calmly set aside the stack of papers, taking note of the Professors panic. *What is it, Professor?* she asked back on the mental path. Storm wasn't telepathic, however the Professor was so good at it that he could hold the 'path' between himself and several others at the same time.
*I want you and Beast to head down to the enclosed green.*
Ororo blinked. *Why?*
*I am not certain of the childrens safety. Sabretooth is down in the green with the youngest of our school.*
Ororos heart fluttered for a moment and she stood quickly. "I'm on my way." She muttered outloud.
Hank, however, wasn't as alarmed. *Are you sure this is a problem, Professor?* the blue-furred scientist asked as he bent over to help Jubilee with a science formula. *Victor has shown nothing but protective instincts towards the children, despite his rather gory past.*
*Beast…..Please.*
Hank sighed as he stood. "Continue on with your work, class. I will return momentarily." He gave the class his best glare. "And NO shenninigans, understood?"
"Yes, Professor McCoy." Came from the students.
Hank headed towards the green the Professor had shown in his mind.
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THE GREEN
Ororo had a terrifying moment where she felt as if her heart would stop, the power of the weather already gathering at her fingertips. It looked as if Victor had reverted back to his feral 'Sabretooth' and was hunting the students!
Her power faded from her fingers, though, when she realized that the shrieks and screams of the children were ones of joy and, once captured, Victor simply tumbled with the little ones, reminding Ororo of a lioness with her cubs.
The fury she had been ready to unleash in the protection of the children faded, and she couldn't help but laugh. It seemed that Logan had also joined in on this, though he ran on two legs instead of all fours.
When a warm, strong arm wrapped around her waist, she turned to smile at the blue-furred Beast. "They're playing!" she breathed, with the same awe that she would give had she discovered the eighth wonder of the world.
Hank gave a warm, chuckling purr, pulling the weather-witch close to his side. "They are indeed. I must say, that that romp looks like great fun."
Ororo's laughter grew as Hank joined in the game.
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CITATIONS:
"Movie Theatre." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, 25 Jul 2013. Web. 3 Aug 2013. wiki/Movie_theater
VOCABULARY:
GROUSED:v. To complain or grumble
SPACIOUS: adj. having much space or room; very large.
IMPROMPTU: adj. without preparation or thought ahead of time; offhand
FORESIGHT: n. 1. Foreseeing. 2. The power to forsee. 3. Looking forward 4. Looking ahead and planning for the future.
FLABBERGASTED: shocked
GOBSMACKED: shocked
BEHEMOTH: Huge