Disclaimer: Don't own anything except Blaze and other random original
characters. Ilehana Xavier appears courtesy of Corrinth, the X-Men and
their world appear courtesy of Marvel. Description of what happened to the
bike is lifted straight from 'Guardians of Destiny' by Corrinth with many
thanks.
A/N: Reviews and comments are always welcome.
Scene 02
There was laughter in the air of the bar as Gambit entered. Apparently the barman had just told a hysterical joke and half of the occupants of the establishment were laughing jovially along with him. A lithe redhead with long lose curls was however the obvious chosen audience for this display of the barman's humour, perched on a bar stool grinning. The smile didn't fade and in fact grew wider and welcoming as she spotted Remy approaching her.
"I was wondering when you'd appear Remy." Blaze greeted him with her English lilt. "Took you longer than I'd thought."
"No Claws tonight?" He asked as he took to the stool next to her, referring to Ilehana Xavier, the animorphing telepathic daughter of Charles Xavier and also Blaze's flatmate.
"Not tonight, Vixen's with Logan." Blaze replied rolling her eyes in a despairing fashion. "Wanna beer?"
Gambit nodded his reply, judging how best to proceed as the barman served them both, sulking that his pretty audience had been stolen away from him. Blaze let Gambit think, knowing full well what was troubling him. Smiling softly to herself as though smug she pulled her long fingers back through her mass of curls.
"How'd you do it Chere?" He asked, stressed that she could be so at ease with all of this. After all Magneto had very nearly killed her not so long ago, wasn't she afraid of him? Or was it that she didn't care what happened to her fellow thief, to Gambit? Then again why should she care, she was an X-Man and Gambit was their enemy. That thought stung. "How did you know 'bout it?"
"Do you even know what 'it' is?" Blaze replied raising an eyebrow as she raised her bottled beer.
"No." Gambit was forced to reply. "But Magneto ain't gonna be too happy that I ain't got it for him."
"Trust me Rem," Blaze offered, placing her bottle back on the counter. "You wouldn't want 'it'!" She smiled and tossed her head to flick her hair out of her face. "Why don't you ditch Magneto anyway and come home with me instead?"
"Tu est folle." He replied calling her insane whilst wondering how many guys got that kinda offer from the redhead. He bet it wasn't many. But he smiled too and she echoed that as he lifted his own beer.
"Ah, oui." She answered in an overly melancholy tone. "And there's nothing they can do for me either. But seriously Gambit, you're worrying too much. Its not your fault the X-Men beat you to the package. If Magneto wants his transactions to remain secret he shouldn't use a blabbermouth like Shrew to act as go-between. And if he tries to take it out on you, the X-Men will help you even if it is just to get a cheap shot at him."
"You happy with the X-Men Cherie?" Remy asked, not much comforted by her words. "Wouldn't have thought a thief could turn good guy just like that."
"Me neither." Blaze admitted. "But yes, I'm happy right now. Oh there are a few of the kiddies I can take or leave, naming no names, but the rest are cool. I'm helping train Magma and in return the Professor is helping me gain better control of my own powers......... Sorry, didn't mean to start preaching."
"Its okay Chere." Gambit sighed. "I need to get goin' anyways........." He put the empty beer bottle down and rose from his seat, not looking back as he left the bar. Blaze watched him with brown eyes mournful, wishing she could help him, wishing she could save him. From Magneto, from himself......... But she knew that unless he asked, he'd despise any backup she offered him as righteous sympathy. He'd push her away just as he was beginning to realise he could be friends with an X-Man.
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There was a hiss as the beer bottle top was flicked away across the garage by Logan's endlessly useful claws. He'd almost raised the bottle to his lips when there was a stubborn "Ahem" from the pair of feet sticking out from under the 4x4 in front of him.
"Sorry." Wolverine acknowledged to the feet, putting the bottle down next to them and an empty takeaway pizza box. "I'll get another one." He turned to do just that as Ilehana Xavier pulled out from under the car grinning.
"I'll get you trained up yet Logan." She mused, sitting and pulling her ruffled hair out of its traditional ponytail. The long blonde locks reached almost to her waist in a shimmering waterfall of femininity somewhat enhanced rather than contradicted by the streak of engine oil across her cheek. Yet again Logan found himself a little swept away by how stunning Vixen was even as she pulled her hair back again and secured it as usual. But she was the daughter of his friend, how could he even think like that about her? "Are you going to open that beer or just stand there?" Ilehana asked with a sly smile.
"Oh," Logan muttered, "Yeah." The beer bottle hissed as froth spilled over his hand and onto the floor as Ilehana laughed. "Don't say anythin'." He growled meeting her eyes with laugher in his own. "I know what you're thinkin' darlin'."
"Hey who's the telepath round here?" Vixen complained as she climbed into her jeep's driver's seat and prepared to rev the engine. "Lets see how this goes........."
Logan nodded approvingly as the car engine grumbled low and angry. Ilehana left the engine idling as she started messing with something under the bonnet. Logan busied himself fixing the last of the new X-logo alloy wheels to the car, thoroughly enjoying himself as he worked. Reaching behind him to grab the appropriate tool whilst holding the wheel steady was a little tricky, but Vixen was always in the right place at the right time, putting the tool in his hand without needing to ask what he needed. Nothing was said as their fingers touched briefly as he grasped the tool. The closeness of her was as intoxicating as the ice-cold beer as Wolverine tried to cover his thoughts with a new line of conversation.
"So how come we're workin' on a car anyway? What have you done to my bike?"
"Your bike?" Ilehana replied, comically outraged. "I bought her, Logan, not you. You were too busy drooling like a sheep chewing cud."
"At the bike." Wolverine was quick to point out.
"Did I imply otherwise?" Vixen met his eyes with a sparkle in her own.
"So what happened to her?" Logan pressed again, ignoring her teasing of him.
"Run in with a tiger." She sighed sadly, then seemed surprised that Logan was goggling at her. "Took offence to the smell of petrol in his territory and completely wrecked it." The offence in her tone made him laugh as he patted her shoulder comfortingly.
"Never mind babe, I won't hold it against you."
"Aww." Ilehana complained, Logan unsure as to whether she was looking for a fight or something else entirely. "You think too much." She admonished him, and leant over to kiss his cheek softly. At least, that had been her intention. Logan's own lips brushed hers, both pairs of predatory eyes closed, both hunters locked in a moment so tender it almost denied everything that they were. Both mutants in that second knowing there was no use in fighting, this was simply meant to be.........
A/N: Reviews and comments are always welcome.
Scene 02
There was laughter in the air of the bar as Gambit entered. Apparently the barman had just told a hysterical joke and half of the occupants of the establishment were laughing jovially along with him. A lithe redhead with long lose curls was however the obvious chosen audience for this display of the barman's humour, perched on a bar stool grinning. The smile didn't fade and in fact grew wider and welcoming as she spotted Remy approaching her.
"I was wondering when you'd appear Remy." Blaze greeted him with her English lilt. "Took you longer than I'd thought."
"No Claws tonight?" He asked as he took to the stool next to her, referring to Ilehana Xavier, the animorphing telepathic daughter of Charles Xavier and also Blaze's flatmate.
"Not tonight, Vixen's with Logan." Blaze replied rolling her eyes in a despairing fashion. "Wanna beer?"
Gambit nodded his reply, judging how best to proceed as the barman served them both, sulking that his pretty audience had been stolen away from him. Blaze let Gambit think, knowing full well what was troubling him. Smiling softly to herself as though smug she pulled her long fingers back through her mass of curls.
"How'd you do it Chere?" He asked, stressed that she could be so at ease with all of this. After all Magneto had very nearly killed her not so long ago, wasn't she afraid of him? Or was it that she didn't care what happened to her fellow thief, to Gambit? Then again why should she care, she was an X-Man and Gambit was their enemy. That thought stung. "How did you know 'bout it?"
"Do you even know what 'it' is?" Blaze replied raising an eyebrow as she raised her bottled beer.
"No." Gambit was forced to reply. "But Magneto ain't gonna be too happy that I ain't got it for him."
"Trust me Rem," Blaze offered, placing her bottle back on the counter. "You wouldn't want 'it'!" She smiled and tossed her head to flick her hair out of her face. "Why don't you ditch Magneto anyway and come home with me instead?"
"Tu est folle." He replied calling her insane whilst wondering how many guys got that kinda offer from the redhead. He bet it wasn't many. But he smiled too and she echoed that as he lifted his own beer.
"Ah, oui." She answered in an overly melancholy tone. "And there's nothing they can do for me either. But seriously Gambit, you're worrying too much. Its not your fault the X-Men beat you to the package. If Magneto wants his transactions to remain secret he shouldn't use a blabbermouth like Shrew to act as go-between. And if he tries to take it out on you, the X-Men will help you even if it is just to get a cheap shot at him."
"You happy with the X-Men Cherie?" Remy asked, not much comforted by her words. "Wouldn't have thought a thief could turn good guy just like that."
"Me neither." Blaze admitted. "But yes, I'm happy right now. Oh there are a few of the kiddies I can take or leave, naming no names, but the rest are cool. I'm helping train Magma and in return the Professor is helping me gain better control of my own powers......... Sorry, didn't mean to start preaching."
"Its okay Chere." Gambit sighed. "I need to get goin' anyways........." He put the empty beer bottle down and rose from his seat, not looking back as he left the bar. Blaze watched him with brown eyes mournful, wishing she could help him, wishing she could save him. From Magneto, from himself......... But she knew that unless he asked, he'd despise any backup she offered him as righteous sympathy. He'd push her away just as he was beginning to realise he could be friends with an X-Man.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
There was a hiss as the beer bottle top was flicked away across the garage by Logan's endlessly useful claws. He'd almost raised the bottle to his lips when there was a stubborn "Ahem" from the pair of feet sticking out from under the 4x4 in front of him.
"Sorry." Wolverine acknowledged to the feet, putting the bottle down next to them and an empty takeaway pizza box. "I'll get another one." He turned to do just that as Ilehana Xavier pulled out from under the car grinning.
"I'll get you trained up yet Logan." She mused, sitting and pulling her ruffled hair out of its traditional ponytail. The long blonde locks reached almost to her waist in a shimmering waterfall of femininity somewhat enhanced rather than contradicted by the streak of engine oil across her cheek. Yet again Logan found himself a little swept away by how stunning Vixen was even as she pulled her hair back again and secured it as usual. But she was the daughter of his friend, how could he even think like that about her? "Are you going to open that beer or just stand there?" Ilehana asked with a sly smile.
"Oh," Logan muttered, "Yeah." The beer bottle hissed as froth spilled over his hand and onto the floor as Ilehana laughed. "Don't say anythin'." He growled meeting her eyes with laugher in his own. "I know what you're thinkin' darlin'."
"Hey who's the telepath round here?" Vixen complained as she climbed into her jeep's driver's seat and prepared to rev the engine. "Lets see how this goes........."
Logan nodded approvingly as the car engine grumbled low and angry. Ilehana left the engine idling as she started messing with something under the bonnet. Logan busied himself fixing the last of the new X-logo alloy wheels to the car, thoroughly enjoying himself as he worked. Reaching behind him to grab the appropriate tool whilst holding the wheel steady was a little tricky, but Vixen was always in the right place at the right time, putting the tool in his hand without needing to ask what he needed. Nothing was said as their fingers touched briefly as he grasped the tool. The closeness of her was as intoxicating as the ice-cold beer as Wolverine tried to cover his thoughts with a new line of conversation.
"So how come we're workin' on a car anyway? What have you done to my bike?"
"Your bike?" Ilehana replied, comically outraged. "I bought her, Logan, not you. You were too busy drooling like a sheep chewing cud."
"At the bike." Wolverine was quick to point out.
"Did I imply otherwise?" Vixen met his eyes with a sparkle in her own.
"So what happened to her?" Logan pressed again, ignoring her teasing of him.
"Run in with a tiger." She sighed sadly, then seemed surprised that Logan was goggling at her. "Took offence to the smell of petrol in his territory and completely wrecked it." The offence in her tone made him laugh as he patted her shoulder comfortingly.
"Never mind babe, I won't hold it against you."
"Aww." Ilehana complained, Logan unsure as to whether she was looking for a fight or something else entirely. "You think too much." She admonished him, and leant over to kiss his cheek softly. At least, that had been her intention. Logan's own lips brushed hers, both pairs of predatory eyes closed, both hunters locked in a moment so tender it almost denied everything that they were. Both mutants in that second knowing there was no use in fighting, this was simply meant to be.........