A/N: Review and let me know if it's worth continuing! Suggestions are appreciated!
Disclaimer: I own neither the characters or settings in this story. It is an exercise in creativity only and is not to be used for profit in any way.
Kioni's first impression was nearly too good to be true. The potentially awkward meet and greet had gone flawlessly, with Kioni relating a humorous anecdote about finding a parking space within a block of the apartment. She complimented Logan on his car, and seemed impressed when he related how Ororo had restored for him a few years back. She smiled when Ororo told her that she and her mother were from the same area of Kenya, and even spoke a little Swahili, vowing to help Ro get better at it.
She was also a stunner. She had high, regal cheekbones and full lips. Her features were perfectly symmetrical, set off with dark, almond shaped eyes rimmed with long lashes.
"This better not turn into some "Single White Female" shit," Logan joked when Kioni headed downstairs to grab more of her things.
Ro had to admit that they were similar in many respects, even down to their looks. Kioni's hair was black and curly where Ro's was wavy and white, and Ro's eyes were blue, not brown, but besides that, they could easily pass for relatives.
The next few hours were a blur of unpacking. They rapid fired questions at one another; Kioni related the story of leaving her family to come study in America while Ro told her how Logan and her met many summers ago. They talked of their families, about Logan's job, and what they thought school would be like in a few weeks. Kioni thought it was admirable that Ororo had decided to teach, a profession that held high esteem in her culture. She was studying political science, and hoped to one day make some sort of positive mark on the world.
"She seems nice," Ro told Logan later that night. He nodded.
"Let's hope so."
"Baby, I'm really going to be all right. You'll see." She squeezed his hand. Kioni had already turned in for the night, so they were at Logan's apartment. The furniture in his studio was less sparse than hers; he had a second hand couch that was a little shabby, but not too bad off, but his bed was much more comfortable than the one in her apartment and he'd even hung some framed pictures on the tan colored walls.
"I believe you, darling," he sighed and leaned backwards into his pillows.
"Then why do you look so upset?" she asked, concerned.
"I really wanted to break that bed in," he grinned devilishly at her.
"Want to practice on this one?" she patted the pillow next to her. Logan all but tackled her to the mattress.
Morning arrived far too early for Ro's taste, but she stumbled out of bed at 7, kissed Logan on the cheek and took the subway back to her apartment. Jean was already texting her, asking for her coffee order and telling her they needed to look at bridesmaids dresses. She was seated at the little island in the kitchen by the time Ro stumbled in, sipping a decaf late and patting her red hair absent-mindedly.
"You're roommate let me in," she explained, "She's in the shower." Jean slid a bridal magazine over the counter at her. "Which dress do you like better?"
Ororo flopped down on the barstool beside her and took a look at the picture. The dresses were all tulle and lace, ultra-feminine creations Ro wouldn't have looked twice at. It didn't surprise her; Jean had grown a lot as a person in the last half-decade, but she was still the girly-girl Ro had befriended in middle school all those years ago. She was working at some boutique in SoHo now, and Ro knew that when Jean and Scott got married, Jean was going to be the best damn mother and housewife this side of the Brooklyn Bridge.
They looked at dresses while Kioni dressed, Jean rattling off wedding details.
"You're roommate seems nice." Jean told her. "Better than your neighbor, at least."
"My neighbor? When did you meet her?"
"It's a him. And he seems like quite the character."
"You wouldn't be talking about the man in 6D, would you?" Kioni emerged from the bathroom dressed in sweats, her hair pulled back in a long dark braid.
"You met him too?" Ro was curious now.
"Well, he certainly hit on me, if you could call that an introduction." Kioni went to the fridge and grabbed some orange juice.
"Did he?" Jean asked, interestedly. She loved gossip in all forms. "You could do worse than him, honey."
"He's hot?" Ro knew Jean's tone all too well.
"I suppose so," Kioni leaned on the other side of the bar. "Are you engaged?" she asked Jean when she spotted the magazines.
This successfully changed the subject. Jean gushed to her new audience about her plans and about Scott while Kioni listened attentively. The matter of their neighbor was forgotten as Jean dragged Kioni out with them to go shopping. Rogue joined them while they were out. At the end of the day, the consensus was clear: Kioni seemed to be a charming girl.
"Don't let her replace us," Jean warned Ororo, half-jokingly. They were in Jean and Scott's apartment. Kioni had excused herself earlier to go to work. Their love nest was a mansion compared to Ro's place, with tasteful leather furniture and throw rugs and candles and more than one room painted more than one color. Scott had gotten a job at a business crunching numbers right out of school. It paid well.
"How's she feel about Logan being over there?" Rogue asked in her southern accent. She was seated on the couch, nursing a glass of wine. Rogue had filled out a lot since high school when Jean and Ororo met her. She still had a stripe of stark white hair in the front of her otherwise raven coif, but she no longer wore all black long-sleeved clothing. She was dressed in jeans and a blue blouse that set off an impressive amount of cleavage. She had one more year left at NYU, where she was studying psychology.
"No idea. I go to his place when we want to…be together." Ororo reached for a handful of chips, feeling absurdly embarrassed at the turn of conversation. She and Logan could talk about sex easy enough, but she thought their business was only their business.
"For God's sake, Roro, you've been with the man five years. He's sexy as hell. You can admit that you're sleeping with him." Jean snapped, flipping her long hair over her shoulder.
Rogue wrinkled her nose at hearing her brother referred to as "sexy" but let it slide.
"Logan would have made a good roommate you know. He's clean, he cooks…" she hinted.
"Rogue stop. You know why—"
"Because you're old fashioned I know. Let Roro have her morals, Rogue," Jean came to her best friend's defense. "Meanwhile, you and I will have our men with us at our beck and call every night." She stuck her tongue out at Ororo while Rogue laughed.
"Seriously though," Rogue asked a minute later, "What would it take? A ring?"
"Two," Ororo answered. "It's not that I don't love him, or want to be with him, I just think we should take it one step at a time."
Jean scoffed. "It's not 1965."
Rogue looked thoughtful though. "She might have a point. She and Logan are the only two of us who've never broken up or taken a break. Five years is a long time to go full steam ahead."
Rogue and Remy got in a fight at least once a month and they'd been on and off for nearly a year in Ororo's junior year of college. Even Scott and Jean got into it occasionally and had taken a break or two. Logan and Ro argued, it was true, but they'd never really been separated. Fights never lasted more than a few days.
"True," Jean conceded, swallowing another sip of wine. "Speaking of which, how's Remy?"
"He's good…" Rogue picked at her napkin, "still having trouble finding a job though."
"So is Logan." Ororo admitted. "But his job right now pays enough. Too bad he doesn't have enough time left in the day to look for a career."
"The thing is, Remy has kind of found something," Rogue said.
"That's great!" Jean scooted forward, smiling brightly. Ro noticed Rogue didn't look nearly as happy. "What is it?"
"It's a position managing a new night club. It's got really great benefits, good hours, excellent pay…"
"Then what's the problem?" Ororo asked,
"It's in New Orleans." Rogue admitted. "Which is great, I mean…he's wanted to move back there for a while. So he's really excited."
"But you have school to finish," Ro said.
"And my wedding to show up to!" Jean interjected. "And you're both in the wedding party!"
Rogue laughed, "Don't worry, Jeannie, we'll be there. I'm just trying to figure out what I'm going to do."
"What do you mean?" Ro was worried at Rogue's tone.
"Well, if he wants the job, we have to move out there right after Christmas."
"You'll still have a semester left." Jean sounded puzzled.
"The thing is, I don't know if I want to finish it." Rogue, looked uncomfortable.
"Why? It's only a few months." Ro asked.
"If I was dating any one besides Remy, it wouldn't be an issue. But you know him…" Rogue rolled her eyes.
Ro did know. She had known Remy since she was 8 years old. He had been and ever remained a shameless flirt. It was an issue of contention in him and Marie's relationship. Once, on one of their breaks he had started dating some busty blonde. Rogue had spent a week crying into Jean and Ororo's futon, thinking she'd lost him.
"Did you talk to him about it?" Jean reasoned.
"Not really. And don't tell him I told you. Nothing is set in stone." She shoved a handful of pretzels in her mouth.
Ro caught the subway back home, Rogue's words ringing in her ears. It seemed like of her little band of friends, Jean and Scott were the only two who knew what they were doing. Ororo knew that even though Logan never mentioned it, he was frustrated. He would have had an easier time finding a job somewhere outside of the city, but she had gotten her teaching position first, and stayed.
Was that fair of her? To deny him other opportunities to stay with her and then not even share living space with him? The uncomfortable questions burned in the pit of her stomach all the way home. As she trekked up the stairs, she pumped headlong into a man who was barreling down them.
"Watch it, sweet cheeks! You trying to kill me?" a pair of hands reached out to steady her before she fell backwards.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" she righted herself, coming face to face with an attractive brunet. He was smirking at her in a satisfied kind of way, his brown eyes crinkled at the corners.
"No problem, babe." He looked her up and down. "I've been meaning to meet the neighbors anyway. You just move in?"
"How do you know that?" she asked, unsettled.
"Sweetness, I know everything that goes on in this building. You're the new girl in 6C."
Realization hit her at once. "You're 6D." Jean hadn't lied; he was good looking. Tall, tan and handsome, he had a devilish look to him.
"My reputation precedes me," his grin widened, dimpling his cheeks. "Wade Wilson."
"Ororo," she shook his hand.
"Well, Ororo, I'm sure I'll be seeing you around." Without further preamble, he hopped over the railing, dropping to the stairs below.
Ororo watched him in shock. A door above her opened and soon Kioni's head peaked over the railing.
"Told you he was strange," she said, shaking her head.
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