Diamonds Are A Fuzzy Dude's Best Friend

Chapter 17: Claws And Goddesses

By

The Uncanny R-Man

Disclaimer- All familiar characters belong to Marvel.

Xavier's-

It had been a week since Logan's shocking discovery, and the feral mutant had been more solitary than normal. The other residents of the X-Mansion could only imagine what kind of pain the poor man was going through. First the adamantium had been ripped from his bones, then he discovered that he had natural bone claws all along.

Logan's mutant healing factor may have healed his physical injuries, but it had barely touched the mental scars that had been caused by the ordeal.

Logan was standing on the edge of the cliff that bordered the mansion's grounds and looked out at the horizon beyond. Logan's heightened hearing caught the sound of soft footsteps approaching him.

'I ain't in the mood fer company, 'Ro.' Logan grunted, not even looking at the weather-manipulating mutant standing nearby. 'I just wanna be left alone.'

Ororo Monroe just sighed heavily. During the fight with Madelyne Pryor, Ororo had been knocked unconscious and had missed the rest of the battle, including the part where Madelyne ripped the adamantium from Logan's bones. She was consumed with guilt. If only she had recovered in time to save Logan. Perhaps she could have prevented all this pain.

'Logan, please…' Ororo begged, still keeping a respectful distance away from her friend. 'I only wish to talk.'

'Then talk.' Logan replied, still gazing out to sea.

Ororo rubbed her bare arm. Even though it wasn't particularly cold, her skin was still goosepimply.

'Logan, I know that I cannot possibly imagine what kind of pain you went through, but you must talk about it.' Ororo said. 'Bottling up your emotions like this is not healthy. Please, I am your friend. Talk to me.'

'I ain't got nothing' to talk about.' Logan grunted. 'I almost died. Jean made me better. End of story.'

'That is not the end of the story, and you know it.' Ororo frowned. 'I have known you too long to just leave this alone. If you do not talk to me now, I shall keep on trying to break through to you. Do you want that? Do you want be going on at you all that time?'

Logan looked down at his hands and unconsciously rubbed his knuckles. He could still feel the ends of his bone claws fighting to pop out.

'I'm goin' out fer beer.' Logan sighed. 'You can come with me if ya want.'

Later-

Logan was throwing back beers while Ororo was content with a glass of water. After several beers, Logan's tongue had loosened and he had finally begun to talk.

'You know Logan, there is a reason why we're here other than getting completely drunk.' Ororo attempted to lighten the mood. 'We came here to talk.'

'Sometimes I wish I was able to get get drunk…' Logan muttered as he slammed his bottle down on the table. 'But this damn healin' factor keeps on pullin' me back from the brink.'

'But it must be more difficult now that your healing powers have been stretched out.' Ororo said. 'Not that I mean to go on.'

'No, no, you're okay.' Logan shook his head. 'Yer entitled to be concerned. Yer my friend. I'm glad yer hear... cuz there's somethin' that I've been meaning to say…'

'Oh…?' Ororo asked, her curiosity piqued. 'What do you wish to say?'

'I dunno whether this is the place.' Logan admitted. 'It's kinda… personal.'

'I doubt whether any of our fellow patrons particularly care what is going on.' Ororo pointed out as she indicated the rest of the barflies. 'They seem far more concerned with their drinks.'

Logan had to admit that Ororo made a good argument. There was no use in him skirting around the issue, he had to tell her how he felt.

'Ro, you know that I ain't one fer big speeches…' Logan began. 'So I'm gonna tell ya straight, when Madelyne ripped the adamantium out o' my body and I thought I was dyin', there was only one person on my mind. It weren't getting' revenge or anythin' like that. The one person on my mind when that happened wuz you, 'Ro. When I thought that my time wuz finally up, I thought to myself that I'd never see the beautiful way yer eyes sparkle when ya laugh, or smell that wonderful earthy strawberry scent that ya carry around with ya. But most of all, I thought that I'd never get tot ell ya how I really feel. Ororo Monroe, ya mean the world to me. An' I dunno what I'd do without ya. 'Ro, what I mean to say is…'

Ororo could tell that Logan was struggling to tell her how he felt, but fortunately Ororo was smart enough to piece together all the information.

'I know how you feel, my friend…' Ororo smiled as she placed her hand on his. 'And to tell you the truth, I feared for your life before Jean managed to heal you.'

'But everything's cool now, right?' Logan smiled. 'We're… cool? You ain't too freaked by what I said, are ya?'

'Of course not!' Ororo chuckled. 'I feel the same way about you Logan, really I do.'

'It's amazing what a near-death experience'll do to ya.' Logan finally smirked. 'It really brings people together.'

'And it also causes people to develop an unusual sense of humour.' Ororo chuckled. 'To think that earlier today you would barely say one word to me.'

'Ya finally talked me around my depression, 'Ro.' Logan smiled. 'There's no point broodin' about all the crap that's happened to me. I think it's better to talk about it, don't you?'

'Yes, I believe it is.' Ororo nodded. 'That is also the exact thing that I told you earlier.'

'Heh. I guess I'm a good listener after all.' Logan smirked.

Logan stood up and led Ororo after him.

'Logan, where are we going?' Ororo asked.

'We're gonna dance, 'Ro.' Logan explained. 'Don't tell me that yer shocked.'

'Well, I never knew that you could dance.' Ororo pointed out.

'Oh, when ya get to my age, you learn quite a lot o' stuff.' Logan smiled.

'And just how old are you?' Ororo asked. 'If you don't mind me asking.'

'I think that's another question for another day, don't you, darlin'?' Logan replied.

'Now you're just avoiding the issue.' Ororo mock frowned.

'Am not!' Logan frowned back.

'Are too!'

'Am not!'

'Are too!'

'Am not, and stop bein' so immature!' Logan rolled his eyes.

'I'm not being immature, you are!' Ororo teased.

'Oh, stop it.' Logan sighed.

'Make me.' Ororo challenged, before sticking her tongue out at him.

'Oh yeah, real mature…' Logan crossed his arms over his chest. 'Yer puttin' all the kids at shame.'

'And you have that cute little scowl on your face that you get whenever I gain the upper hand.' Ororo countered. 'Game, set, and match, my friend.'

'Yer never gonna let me live this down, are ya?' Logan sighed.

Ororo just smirked once more.

'Not on your long and eventful life, my friend.'

END

Author's Notes- Well, that's it for now. It has been a strange journey. Originally, this story started out as a strictly anti-Jott story, but that soon changed after the inclusion of Maddie. Perhaps I'm getting soft in my old age… Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.