Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made from this work.
Standing at the counter waiting for her order, Marie glanced back to find Jubilee staring at the menu looking lost. Kitty was with the Barista ordering something so complex she had to wonder if she was pulling the leg of the poor woman behind the cash. Layla and Theresa sat waiting for them out on the patio, the two chatting away.
"Can I help you?" A stylishly dressed man in an apron asked behind the counter asked of Jubilee.
"Uh...coffee, cream, sugar...big?" Jubilee asked.
"This big enough? Do you like yours really strong or a bit more mellow?" The man asked with a chuckle, holding up a cup for her inspection.
"Uh...strong as long as it doesn't taste like it's been sitting on the burner all day." Jubilee said warily.
"Here, try of this. It's a dark roast with a smooth finish." The man replied, pouring a tiny bit in the cup for a taste test.
"Perfect, thanks." Jubilee said handing off her cash.
"Everything is just on the counter behind you, have a nice night." The man said once more, pointing once and then off to another patron as a string of coffee lingo was rapidly spouted.
Making their way to the table after fixing their coffee just right, Marie sat down across from Theresa with Kitty taking her right. Beyond the patio, the Thunderbird sat parked drawing looks from the passing pedestrian traffic, Jubilee looking on like a mother watching a child. The night had wound down, having caught a movie after dinner and now just enjoying one last treat before the drive back to the school. Savoring her first sip, she swore they'd have to do this again sometime.
"What do you think the boys are up to?" Theresa asked, thinking of the poker game promised before they left.
"Don't know, don't care. As long as it doesn't involve trying to rediscover fire I'm happy." Kitty said.
"Oh don't remind me, I had to ban Man vs Wild after that stunt." Theresa lamented.
"What happened?" Marie and Layla asked in unison.
"The last time Bobby and me were down on break, they started betting who could start a fire after watching Bear do it on the show." Kitty explained, looking to Jubilee.
"Yeah, it must have taken twenty minutes until things escalated and they started cheating. Damn near burnt down the garage. Good thing Drake is his own fire extinguisher." Jubilee explained with a weary sigh.
"Oh that's a nice image. Everything I saw when we left, add loin clothes and stir." Layla purred, her eyes distant with a indulgent smile on her lips.
"That worked up until I pictured Bobby." Kitty and Theresa said, both looking to another and laughing.
"What's wrong with Bobby?" Layla asked.
"Oh we're just probably bias, yeah he's fit but all we see is him walking around in his shorts with morning breath and bed head. Just doesn't work." Kitty explained.
Feeling a nudge, Marie realized she had still been thinking of someone else in a loincloth, Kitty next to her grinning. Returning the nudge with a playful shove, she looked about the table trying to find a way to move the topic along. Spying Jubilee, she grinned and knew she might be channeling a certain Canadian in that moment with the look of fright in her quarry's eyes suddenly.
"I don't know what you're thinking girl, but I know that look, it belongs on someone bigger and hairier than you, cut that out." Jubilee said quickly.
Remembering a threat leveled earlier, she looked to the others who just looked back sporting their own smirks. It was four against one, and Marie felt like barking up some trees.
"Give it up Lee, we have to know." Kitty started.
"Know what?" Jubilee asked warily.
"How did you and Pete hook up?" Marie asked.
"Nope, not going to tell." Jubilee said stubbornly, sipping her coffee.
Wondering just how to coax the truth from her, Marie felt a nudge and looked to Layla. She sat next to her just smiling like the proverbial cat who ate the canary, staring at Theresa who looked to be trying to hide behind her coffee cup.
"Theresa Rourke Cassidy, just where did your freckles go?" Marie asked, seeing how furiously the lass was blushing.
Jubilee looked panicked, her eyes wide and her mouth doing an impression of a fish gasping, turning on Theresa as she herself blushed. Sharing a look between Kitty and Layla alike, whatever the story was it must be good.
"No..." Jubilee whispered.
"It was an accident, I was helping him pack up some paintings for auction when..." Theresa began.
"Oh my god just kill me!" Jubilee whined, burying her face in her hands.
"I didn't know! It was sitting on his easel under a cloth. I peeked and..." Theresa explained.
"What?!" Marie chorused with the others, her curiosity just rabid now.
Listening to Jubilee whimper as Theresa looked to her in apology just honestly looking like a puppy for how sorry she was, they all scooted their chairs closer and leaned in within a whisper of another.
"Oh fine...but if this leaves the table, I will and I promise kill every last one of you." Jubilee hissed, her hand held out for them take and swear on.
Taking a calming breath, Jubilee looked to them all and suddenly looked to be remembering something that left her smiling dumbly.
"Pete needed some help with his painting, so like I'd pose for him." Jubilee said.
Thinking there was nothing wrong with that, Marie looked to Kitty to see her eyes go wide and Jubilee just nod in reply. Suddenly the way Jubilee had said pose carried new meaning, looking sharply to her friend who once again just nodded.
"When you mean pose...?" Marie asked.
"Yeah...I mean we knew each other, but like we weren't close so when he asked...well. I mean he's just always so big and loveable, and with how embarrassed he was I couldn't say no. I just figured I was helpin' a bud out, like I do all the time fixing cars." Jubilee explained.
"Nude?" Kitty struggled to keep as a whisper.
"Yeah, no biggie, it's not like I hadn't seen just about all there was to see of him with those things he calls swim trucks. Wasn't awkward or nothing." Jubilee replied with a giggle.
"But I mean just laying there on his bed with him looking so intent from behind the canvas, the way he looked at me...it made me feel beautiful." Jubilee whispered.
"So...the one day when he was doing all that clean up he'd do after, giving me privacy to get dressed...I surprised him. I crept up behind him, just with this bit of silk he had me wearing that time and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and just stood there, blushing away like I'd never see him do from behind the easel." Jubilee continued.
"What did you do?" Marie asked simply enthralled.
"I stood on my tippy toes and kissed him, both of us like that until we ran out of breath. That was when he wrapped his arms about me and picked me up, carrying me over to his bed where we just laid together kissing, his fingers running up and down my spine with nothing to say between us." Jubilee finished.
"Okay, I need an iced coffee now. Anyone else? Okay, five iced coffees coming up." Layla said with a bit of trouble finding her breath, excusing herself to fetch the orders.
"So...just how many of these paintings are there?" Marie asked, Jubilee just smiling then.
"One...he's always saying it's not perfect yet, so he's always starting over." Jubilee said, a wistful sigh punctuating her.
Amidst contented sighs and fighting in vain against the smiles, Marie found she wasn't alone in hugging Jubilee who had just shared a sweet and private moment with them. The degree of trust offered left her swearing to pay it back.
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Pulling up the drive some hours later, they all shared a relieved sigh at no sign of fire engines or the likes, just the boys sitting out front of the garage in wheelbarrows like cottage chairs oddly enough. With a beer in hand each, they raised their bottles in salute to them as they drove past in the Thunderbird to park it out front of the garage. Spotting an admiring look of one man in particular, Marie walked up until she stood before Logan.
"Is this seat taken?" Marie asked.
"Even if it was I'd make an exception." Logan said, offering a hand to her.
Slipping into his lap, he wrapped an arm about her almost possessively she thought, looking about to see her friends doing so in kind. Layla boldly just sat with an unprotesting Bobby, while Jubilee leapt into Pete's lap and righted the wheelbarrow with a clattering bang that nearly tipped them. Kurt graciously offered his seat to Theresa, Kitty joining her with the two fighting for space.
"Why are we sitting in wheelbarrows?" Marie finally thought to ask, Logan and the boys just sharing a look.
"Forgot the kids were refinishing all the patio furniture for shop class, Pete said this was a trick that works in a pinch." Logan explained.
As silly as it looked, it was comfortable, more so with the seat she had. He felt warm against her, the sheer fabric of her dress hardly anything more than a formality between them. Finding his hand, she slipped her fingers between his and thrilled as together they rested on her thigh to stroke it absently.
"No need of finding a fire extinguisher this time?" Marie asked playfully, Logan looking down to eye her.
"Is that what ya were all gossipin' about? Nah, we learned our lesson, plus our gussied up grease monkey over there made some threats I rightly don't want to find out if she's capable of. Somethin' about soot on her baby and shovin' wrenches in places that didn't sound too pleasant." Logan explained to take a sip of his beer after.
Laughing Marie found the scene so easy to picture, feeling his chuckle tickle her as it rumbled from his chest. Looking back up to him, she found him looking on her just as he had the day she'd turned up out front of the school. Slipping from her seat while gripping his hand in her own, he joined her for the wheelbarrow to slam against the drive. Looking apologetic to the rest, so many of them looking peaceful and content, she leaned close to Logan.
"Lets go for a walk, it's a nice night." Marie whispered for him alone.
With his arm around her waist drawing her near, they trailed on down the drive to the very edge of the school, just enjoying one another's company. Time and again she stole glances up to him only to find him doing the same, a chuckle shared between them every time caught.
"What?" Marie asked finally, Logan just looking on her intently.
"Just finding myself admiring the local scenery." Logan replied softly.
"Oh that's right, according to someone whose in the know, you think I'm pretty." Marie teased.
"Ya were pretty with bed head after spending the night in a car, right now Darlin' I might just have to confess you're lookin' beautiful." Logan replied to hug her closer to him.
Hearing those words she had to stop, Logan spinning about mid step to stare down her with a questioning look. Staring into his eyes, she saw no jest or joke in what he had said, just filled with an admiration directed solely for her. She knew then just how Jubilee must have felt, never having thought to find such a look in the eyes of the man across from her.
"You...you really do think I'm beautiful?" Marie asked truthfully.
"Never once lied to you, not about to start now." Logan said with a step taken to close the distance between them.
Seizing the impulse with her heart racing, she leaned in with her lips parted to feel his hot breath against them. Pausing as she felt hers brush his, he answered the unspoken question for her, stealing her lips in his own with all the passion he did anything with. Feeling his arms wrap about her and holding her tight, her hands gripped his shoulders feeling her legs go weak. All too soon the moment came as they parted, both struggling to find their breath and staring into another's eyes.
"Wow..." Marie gasped.
He didn't say anything, he didn't have to with how he held her, a thumb trailing circles at the small of her back with his arms tenderly holding her. Hearing her name shouted and hollered from the school, she swore only to hear him laugh. Leaning in close again he offered a kiss again, short but so very sweet.
"Guessin' we'll have to go for a walk again sometime. Sounds like the ladies are lookin' for ya." Logan whispered in the closeness they shared.
"Logan...I..." Marie started, not even knowing what to say.
"All the time in the world Darlin'..." Logan whispered back, gently pulling away.
"Thanks...for..." Marie started again, so many thoughts swirling through her mind of every deed he'd ever done for her all this time.
With a wink, his eyes still filled with admiration, he reached to take her hand to lead her back up the grass. Knowing not why she had done it, she knew deep down she had no regrets, the kiss a promise from everything she had ever seen all those years alone, finally fulfilled. Not for the first time she found herself so glad to have come back, but in this moment it felt as if she never had a choice but to. She had left a part of herself behind that she had finally found, tonight embracing it in full and swearing never to let go.
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