Reflections

The breeze was picking up now, sending ripples across the still surface of the lake. The water churned sending waves racing towards the shore. Logan stood watching the waves as they crashed against the bank sending droplets of water to splash against his skin. He felt calm as the cool water trickled down his brow, his chest. Now the breeze was beginning to die down again and soon the lake would be once again serene.

Maybe I'm like that lake in some ways. I can be calm, tranquil even but it's so easy to stir me. The feral side, the anger and the violence are always there within me. I rage and I'm like the churning water, the waves crashing against the rocks. Then the rage dies within me and I'm calm again.

"I thought you might want your clothes back now Logan,"

Logan turned and managed a smile for Ororo. He'd thought she'd left to fly on the breeze for a while. He wouldn't have blamed for doing so after she'd comforted him. Instead she'd gone back to the mansion and brought him a fresh shirt. It was kind of her and much appreciated.

"Thanks darlin,"

He slipped the shirt on; leaving a few top buttons unopened to better feel the wind against his skin. Ororo stroked a finger against his chest ruffling the hair and he didn't mind at all. He kind of liked it in fact.

"Are you going to put your boots on Logan?"

Logan glanced down at his bare feet and wiggled his toes.

"Actually ta tell ya the truth darlin, I'd prefer ta stay as I am fer a while. It's just good ta go barefoot fer a change, just ta feel the different sensations. Lush green grass tickling yer soles, squelching in the mud and feeling it ooze between yer toes. Cool refreshment as ya wade through a stream and the rough pebbles underfoot. Just don't ya get any ideas about tickling me again darlin, at least not without warning me first?"

Ororo smile was perhaps just a little too innocent especially with that gleam in her eyes.

Logan wandered right to the edge of the shore and gazed into the waters. For a moment he considered diving into the water and going for a quick swim. He was a strong swimmer of course out of necessity. The adamantium coating his bones dragged him down so he had to work that much harder. Even walking or standing he constantly felt the weight and it was a burden. Still he kept himself in peak physical condition, stronger and faster than many. He found sometimes though he missed not having the adamantium. There had been advantages in that state; he could heal a lot quicker then. Most of all he'd been true to nature, free of the metal he was closer to the animal than he could ever be now. He didn't know whether that had appealed to him or terrified him. The truth was probably both at the same time.

Still the adamantium is a part of me, just like my senses, my healing factor and my claws. Anyway I never want to go through losing it again, especially not if it means I'll regress back to a feral state again.

The water was calm, tranquil and beguiling. Logan watched the patterns the sunlight made as it played across the water, watched the ripples as the breeze began to pick up again. No the water was just too cool and refreshing for him to resist the temptation. He dipped a toe in the water sighing in contentment. The water was just cool enough to be invigorating without shocking the system too much. He sat down on the bank dipping his feet in the water, splashing around to get the mud of them. Then he lifted his feet up, enjoying the tingling sensation as gentle waves splashed against his soles.

"So darlin, I'd like ta know what ya see in me. I mean I'm short ugly and hairy really, not handsome enough fer ya surely Ororo. I mean yer a beautiful woman, what do ya want with a feral like me?"

"Well I can't deny that you're hirsute Logan. Perhaps in stature you are somewhat shorter than most but you are shall we say larger than life. Ugly though is not a word that could apply to you. Gaze on your reflection awhile and then tell me if you still think you're ugly," Ororo's tone was gently chiding.

Certainly few women seemed to find Logan ugly and he certainly had no trouble in attracting female attention. Carol Danvers, Yukio, Tyger Tiger, Betsy Braddock, Jean Grey, Kitty Pryde, Jubilation Lee, Amiko, Mariko Yashida, Elektra Natchios, he'd been or was close to them all, many as friends and some as lovers. He had no children of his own but to three young women he'd been a father. There was a caring, gentle and compassionate side to him that perhaps wasn't clear at first glance. For that alone he could hardly be described as ugly, at least not in spirit where it truly counted.

No Logan hadn't sounded bitter or self-loathing in fact he'd almost sounded as though he was fishing for a compliment. There'd been a slight twinkle in his eye when he'd spoken and she'd seen the flash of canine when he'd grinned. Well she didn't mind complimenting him if that's what he wanted. Still for being mischievous like that she would have to think of a suitable punishment for him.

Logan gazed awhile at his reflection and had to admit, he wasn't that bothered how he looked. Hank and Kurt had no trouble with women and they were even hairier than he was. He grinned and the reflection grinned back, the smile softening the rough-hewn features and making him look younger almost vulnerable. He might be a hundred or more years old but he aged slowly. Look at his face and you might think him a young man until you saw his eyes. Those hazel eyes could only belong to one who'd lived a long time, seen maybe too many people they were close to die, seen too many sights they shouldn't have seen. The eyes were the windows to the soul and through them you could see the beast that was in his heart. Haunted eyes yet they still had warmth in then if you looked long and hard.

"Yeah yer right Ororo, guess I ain't so ugly after all. Maybe if I shaved more and maybe got a decent haircut I'd be almost a pretty boy. Would ya like me ta do that fer ya darlin?"

"Logan you will never be a pretty boy nor would I want you to be. You know what I want to do when I look at your hair?"

She ran her fingers through his thick sideburns, up and through his wild hair ruffling it and earning a mock growl from Logan. Feeling an itch in her cheek Ororo gently rubbed her face against Logan's chin. She sighed in relief as the rough stubble soothed away the itch.

"Do ya mind darlin?"

"I apologize profusely oh mighty feral."

"Don't ya be so cheeky unless ya want ta have a crew-cut darlin,"

Ororo gasped in dismay and rose up into the air. Logan grinned menacingly and extended his claws. Ororo gave him a menacing grin of her own and raised the breeze to a near gale. Directing like a maestro conducting an orchestra she sent it skimming the surface of the lake. A wave splashed against Logan's face plastering his hair to his scalp and leaving his muttonchops limp and sodden.

"By the bright lady, a wet Wolvie," chuckled Ororo.

"I ain't laughing darlin," growled Logan.

"Oh you soon will be, that's if you're not begging for mercy!"

Ororo glided down and dug her fingers into Logan's sides, running them down his ribs. The feral snorted trying to hold in his laughter and sat down heavily. Smiling serenely Ororo summoned up the breeze, sending gentle gusts of wind to stroke across his soles and Logan coughed and then a small giggle. Gritting his teeth he summoned up his resolve determined not to surrender, not even as Ororo's delicate fingers began tickling between his toes. Not even when she tickled under his armpits. He couldn't suppress the terror in his eyes when she grinned maliciously and produced a feather. Finally he surrendered, collapsing into helpless guffaws as she began to tickle him again.

"Do you yield Logan, I'll show you mercy on one condition."

"N-name it, heeheehee, darlin," gulped Logan helpless with laughter.

"That you stop being so hard on yourself. It's true that you came close to the edge but you didn't cross over it. Nobody would have blamed you for killing Sabretooth not even me, we'd have understood and we'd have helped you through with the guilt. Yet you pulled yourself back in time and that's the main thing. You don't enjoy the feral side not like Creed and you won't surrender to the animal. It doesn't matter if you sometimes come close to the edge for while you may stumble you will not fall. Your humanity is too important for you to ever fall into the abyss,"

"Thanks fer telling me that darlin, it means a lot ta me,"

Ororo gave him the warmest of smiles and put an arm around his shoulder. He embraced her drawing her into a gentle hug and leaned his head against her shoulder. She gave him a quick affectionate breeze and then just gently stroked his hair soothing him. Ororo murmured a song in her native language, one she learnt as a child long ago before she'd lost her parents. Logan closed his eyes contentedly and sighed.

"Will ya join me fer a paddle in the stream darlin, just kick off yer shoes and join me. The water's cool and fresh."

"I think I would like that Logan. Then why don't we just sit in a tree say and wait for the sun to set. You can talk to me about anything you want and I'll listen. I will be your sympathetic ear and your shoulder to cry on. We can stay out and watch the stars come up together if that's what you want. I'll be here as long as you need me to be."

Logan's warm smile was the best answer she could have wished for.

"Thanks darlin," he whispered and gave her a gentle kiss.

A furry blue face lit up with a fang filled grin as Hank McCoy stood watching. He placed the small hamper of food Ororo had asked for on the tree stump. He wouldn't interfere now, not while they looked so perfect together. Instead he'd go back to the others and tell them Logan was going to be fine.

"Stars and garters, now if that's not a sight to warm an ever-effervescent bodacious bouncy blue Beast's heart then nothing is," whispered Hank as he rubbed his furry chin.

Not wishing to intrude further he turned around and walked back to the mansion, a contented smile on his furry face.