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## - represents thoughts
** - speaking telepathically
CHAPTER 13: Acceptance
Despite Jean and Ororo's best intentions, Hank and Tyger did not rush into each other's arms. Tyger, in fact, spent her time in the gym with the stereo blasting, trying to dance her way to a solution (her bedroom was too confining). The more she thought about what Jean had said, the more truth it seemed to make. But she couldn't help being bothered by the fact that Jean was trying to force them together. Not that she didn't have feelings for Hank - whenever they touched, she knew there were feelings. It was just a matter of doing what she wanted on her own terms.
The more she danced, the angrier she became as she dwelled on the interference - lingering on the fact that once again someone else was trying to dictate her life, to tell her what to do and how to live. To any outside observer, she was getting furious over nothing. Instead of dancing herself into relaxation, she was dancing herself into a fury: the more she danced the more she thought and consequently the angrier she became.
Hank was just the opposite. He was currently perched on the highest point of the mansion, watching the clouds stroll lazily across the horizon and wondering why the universe hated him. It wasn't really his fault that he had been in prison. One would think that coming home would be a pleasurable experience after having been gone so long.
Hank sighed. He couldn't help dwelling on the chaos of the last few weeks and wondering idly whether Ororo really was telling the truth. He asked himself quietly in the deep part of his mind whether he truly was engaged and if he was, why he hadn't yet had time to enjoy it? He had considered looking up that fact to see if it held merit, but decided that it really didn't matter. The fact that he had given Tyger the collar was incontrovertible, and he knew the affect it had was all out of proportion to the gift itself. There really was no point worrying about it anymore. Ororo's other comments, however, were more troublesome. Dwell on them as he might, he couldn't help but deduce that she had goaded him deliberately. Her behaviour was so un-Ororo-like that it was suspicious.
The whole incident revolved around HER. But he could not, despite his best efforts, be mad at her for 'screwing up' his life. Not that, when push came to shove, he would admit to having that good a life to begin with. He sighed deeply. In truth, it was a rather lonely existence. Yes, he had friends - dear friends. But none whom he could share any degree of intimacy with. He found himself reflecting on his past relationship with Trish. Yes, it had been rocky in some places, having become an on-and-off situation near the end but...to have someone who was there for you, someone who cared for you, someone to hold you. He missed that. He missed it more than he cared to admit. Immersing himself in his work kept his emotions in check. Distraction was what had always allowed him to make it through each day. But sometimes, it just wasn't enough.
He sighed again, and recalled what he had felt when he had held her for that one brief moment. Then he shook his head and focused his thoughts on the stars, recalling the names of constellations in his head.
* * *
Jean was just drying off after having taken a shower. She had won the tennis match with Ororo without using her powers, and was feeling rather smug about it. She idly sent out a feeler of thought to her two favourite furballs: Hank, she found sitting on top of the mansion; Tyger, fuming in the gymnasium. Ho boy, she thought. Knowing the mood that Tyger was in, anyone else confronting her was hazardous. So she sent a 'mild' compulsion into Hank's mind that he just HAD to talk to Tyger right away.
* * *
Hank rationalized that Ororo's meddling had been unjustified and he had best talk to Tyger before any of the conversation got back to her. So he climbed down from his lofty perch (twice stopping to pull splinters from his palms from the trellis) and went looking for her.
As he neared the gymnasium, he heard music blasting from within. He barged right in without thinking, and once again found himself watching Tyger dance.
She glanced over her shoulder at him, but didn't stop dancing. He noticed that her movements were quite different from the last time - wide, sharp, vigourous - it was almost as if she were throwing herself around the room. She completely lacked the finesse and sensuality he had previously witnessed. It was almost as if she were...angry.
She didn't stop until the song ended, whereupon she turned sharply to face him. She was breathing heavily - from her exertions, was his first thought - then he saw the fire in her eyes and realized that she was raging.
He was taken aback. "Oh, my," he said, then stopped himself. You are not going to mishandle this situation such as you did the first time, he told himself firmly. He moved toward her, and felt her anger pass over him like a wave of heat.
Tyger stepped back, and raised a hand to halt him. She knew what she was like when she was angry; she was afraid she would hurt him if he came too close.
He continued, undaunted, and cupped her hand in one massive palm. She stiffened - that wasn't the action she was expecting.
Hank was acting entirely on impulse as he wrapped his other arm around her waist and drew her close to him. All her anger dissipated the moment their bodies touched. She melted into his arms and laid her head on his shoulder.
A mere moment passed before Hank slid his hands up her back in a gentle, teasing caress which sent waves of fire washing over her body.
Encouraged, Tyger slid her hands slowly, tentatively up and down his arms, marvelling at the softness of his fur and fingering the solid bulges of muscle that lay beneath.
She lifted her head and allowed her hands to continue their journey over his massive shoulders and then along his chest. She saw that his eyes were closed - apparently he was enjoying this as much as she was.
Then his eyes opened, and he freed a reluctant hand to caress her cheek. She was about to purr when he gently cupped her chin and drew her face to his.
She stiffened slightly with nervousness - this would be her first kiss. She offered no resistance as his hot breath played lightly over her lips, then felt their lips touch...
The alarm sounded.
Hank abruptly pulled his face away and looked down at her. She looked back at him expectantly. Hank held up one finger, tapped her nose and said, "Hold that thought," before he turned and bolted out of the room.
The gym door closed upon an echoing roar of frustration.
"WHAT?! Yoou bluue-furrred teease!!! I'll show you whachyou cann hold!" she shrieked and then bolted after him.
* * *
Tyger followed his trail to the Ready Room, and entered just in time to see Hank leaving through the opposite doorway. Moving silently, she cat-footed behind Hank and followed him onto the Blackbird.
We're going to finish this once and for all, she thought to herself. Yet she was still unsure if she should be afraid or if she would enjoy what was to come.
The hatch closed and the Blackbird took off, carrying with it one extra passenger.
## - represents thoughts
** - speaking telepathically
CHAPTER 13: Acceptance
Despite Jean and Ororo's best intentions, Hank and Tyger did not rush into each other's arms. Tyger, in fact, spent her time in the gym with the stereo blasting, trying to dance her way to a solution (her bedroom was too confining). The more she thought about what Jean had said, the more truth it seemed to make. But she couldn't help being bothered by the fact that Jean was trying to force them together. Not that she didn't have feelings for Hank - whenever they touched, she knew there were feelings. It was just a matter of doing what she wanted on her own terms.
The more she danced, the angrier she became as she dwelled on the interference - lingering on the fact that once again someone else was trying to dictate her life, to tell her what to do and how to live. To any outside observer, she was getting furious over nothing. Instead of dancing herself into relaxation, she was dancing herself into a fury: the more she danced the more she thought and consequently the angrier she became.
Hank was just the opposite. He was currently perched on the highest point of the mansion, watching the clouds stroll lazily across the horizon and wondering why the universe hated him. It wasn't really his fault that he had been in prison. One would think that coming home would be a pleasurable experience after having been gone so long.
Hank sighed. He couldn't help dwelling on the chaos of the last few weeks and wondering idly whether Ororo really was telling the truth. He asked himself quietly in the deep part of his mind whether he truly was engaged and if he was, why he hadn't yet had time to enjoy it? He had considered looking up that fact to see if it held merit, but decided that it really didn't matter. The fact that he had given Tyger the collar was incontrovertible, and he knew the affect it had was all out of proportion to the gift itself. There really was no point worrying about it anymore. Ororo's other comments, however, were more troublesome. Dwell on them as he might, he couldn't help but deduce that she had goaded him deliberately. Her behaviour was so un-Ororo-like that it was suspicious.
The whole incident revolved around HER. But he could not, despite his best efforts, be mad at her for 'screwing up' his life. Not that, when push came to shove, he would admit to having that good a life to begin with. He sighed deeply. In truth, it was a rather lonely existence. Yes, he had friends - dear friends. But none whom he could share any degree of intimacy with. He found himself reflecting on his past relationship with Trish. Yes, it had been rocky in some places, having become an on-and-off situation near the end but...to have someone who was there for you, someone who cared for you, someone to hold you. He missed that. He missed it more than he cared to admit. Immersing himself in his work kept his emotions in check. Distraction was what had always allowed him to make it through each day. But sometimes, it just wasn't enough.
He sighed again, and recalled what he had felt when he had held her for that one brief moment. Then he shook his head and focused his thoughts on the stars, recalling the names of constellations in his head.
* * *
Jean was just drying off after having taken a shower. She had won the tennis match with Ororo without using her powers, and was feeling rather smug about it. She idly sent out a feeler of thought to her two favourite furballs: Hank, she found sitting on top of the mansion; Tyger, fuming in the gymnasium. Ho boy, she thought. Knowing the mood that Tyger was in, anyone else confronting her was hazardous. So she sent a 'mild' compulsion into Hank's mind that he just HAD to talk to Tyger right away.
* * *
Hank rationalized that Ororo's meddling had been unjustified and he had best talk to Tyger before any of the conversation got back to her. So he climbed down from his lofty perch (twice stopping to pull splinters from his palms from the trellis) and went looking for her.
As he neared the gymnasium, he heard music blasting from within. He barged right in without thinking, and once again found himself watching Tyger dance.
She glanced over her shoulder at him, but didn't stop dancing. He noticed that her movements were quite different from the last time - wide, sharp, vigourous - it was almost as if she were throwing herself around the room. She completely lacked the finesse and sensuality he had previously witnessed. It was almost as if she were...angry.
She didn't stop until the song ended, whereupon she turned sharply to face him. She was breathing heavily - from her exertions, was his first thought - then he saw the fire in her eyes and realized that she was raging.
He was taken aback. "Oh, my," he said, then stopped himself. You are not going to mishandle this situation such as you did the first time, he told himself firmly. He moved toward her, and felt her anger pass over him like a wave of heat.
Tyger stepped back, and raised a hand to halt him. She knew what she was like when she was angry; she was afraid she would hurt him if he came too close.
He continued, undaunted, and cupped her hand in one massive palm. She stiffened - that wasn't the action she was expecting.
Hank was acting entirely on impulse as he wrapped his other arm around her waist and drew her close to him. All her anger dissipated the moment their bodies touched. She melted into his arms and laid her head on his shoulder.
A mere moment passed before Hank slid his hands up her back in a gentle, teasing caress which sent waves of fire washing over her body.
Encouraged, Tyger slid her hands slowly, tentatively up and down his arms, marvelling at the softness of his fur and fingering the solid bulges of muscle that lay beneath.
She lifted her head and allowed her hands to continue their journey over his massive shoulders and then along his chest. She saw that his eyes were closed - apparently he was enjoying this as much as she was.
Then his eyes opened, and he freed a reluctant hand to caress her cheek. She was about to purr when he gently cupped her chin and drew her face to his.
She stiffened slightly with nervousness - this would be her first kiss. She offered no resistance as his hot breath played lightly over her lips, then felt their lips touch...
The alarm sounded.
Hank abruptly pulled his face away and looked down at her. She looked back at him expectantly. Hank held up one finger, tapped her nose and said, "Hold that thought," before he turned and bolted out of the room.
The gym door closed upon an echoing roar of frustration.
"WHAT?! Yoou bluue-furrred teease!!! I'll show you whachyou cann hold!" she shrieked and then bolted after him.
* * *
Tyger followed his trail to the Ready Room, and entered just in time to see Hank leaving through the opposite doorway. Moving silently, she cat-footed behind Hank and followed him onto the Blackbird.
We're going to finish this once and for all, she thought to herself. Yet she was still unsure if she should be afraid or if she would enjoy what was to come.
The hatch closed and the Blackbird took off, carrying with it one extra passenger.