First Part
Sets during X2
Chapter 1: Against All Tides
#
There's someone in the professor's office, and this someone is yelling at him. A girl, I'd say. My overdeveloped hearing allows me to understand their words from the opposite end of the corridor.
-"I've already told you, Charles, there's no way I come lock myself up in your goddamn castle!"
-"And I've already asked you not to call me like this."
-"Want me to call you « Dad »? Think I can call my father a guy who don't have the bloody guts to stop hiding and live outside like a man?"
Damn it, I wouldn't have dared. Not to Charles Xavier; especially not if he were my father. But how long has the old thing had a daughter anyway?
-"You think there is more dignity to fight in creepy bars to make your living? You think there is more freedom to live behind your lies?"
He's got hell of a self-control, to speak as calmly as he does to someone who's just spat him he had no guts. The voices level has suddenly dropped; I can barely hear what the girl replies:
-"… your sermons, Charles. You perfectly know what I'm here for."
-"I cannot do anything for you".
The professor's voice is firm and strong. All of a sudden, the office's door burst open. I and all the jerks who were listening to the confrontation, we run and hide behind the staircase.
-"You gonna stick here and watch me kick the bucket? Well terrific, "dad"! Thanks a lot! I'm gonna get by all by myself, then, and you can go back blow yourself into your goddamn shithole!"
She furiously walks out of the castle and Charles remains in the middle of the corridor, his face convulsed in anger. I dunno who's the angrier; my brain seems to have blocked down when I caught sight of the professor's daughter's face.
-"But who the hell is this freak?" utters Kurt.
My voice comes out low and hoarse:
-"It's the Snake".
-"Ye up for a drink?"
She stares. Gives me time to adjust my memories with the reality of her skinny tensed body, almond-shaped grey eyes, thin lips; no word could suit her best than Snake. She looks puzzled, I ain't quite sure she recalls that night, a couple years ago.
-"Apologies, shoulda said, ye owe me a drink," I add.
Her eyes widen and I get she's just remembered everything. The fight. The fuck. The goodbye. Then a witty smile spreads across her face.
-"This is the last place I'd expected to bump into you, Wolverine."
-"Quite same for me. Wanna tell me the whole story?"
She looks into my eyes as if to size me up, looking for some kind of trap.
-"As long as we draw away from this place, yeah, we can have a talk. And a drink."
-"Gettin' my bike," I grin.
)
-"So, Logan. Why are you staying at Westchester? Has the wild animal gone tamed?"
We've just emptied our second whisky glass and I believe alcohol is making my voice more singing than usual and softer than it actually should, regarding the subject.
-"The professor made a promise to me," he growls, frowning. Guess he doesn't like being reminded he's for the moment my father's fool. I stir up, bending back on my chair.
-"Did he now? He's so good at this. Better be actually, it's his only way to have his beloved x-men sticking round his shithole."
I can't help it, each time I speak about him; I can't help the hate in my voice, the anger knot in my throat.
-"How comes he still ain't found a way to have ye round then?" Logan asks playfully. He dives his black eyes into mine and smiles, which makes him look both tempting and dangerous. The whisky has driven me tipsy and he's taking advantage of it.
-"Maybe he has," I murmur. I feel like drowning in his widened pupils. I shake my head and stand up.
-"Where you stayin'?" he asks.
-"No idea," I sigh back. "I'll head downtown and find some place to crash."
-"I'm driving you to this some place then."
This some place to crash, after a motorbike trip during which I was flattened against Logan's hard body with my hands resting on his thighs, turned out to be Xavier's school for gifted youngsters. Home sweet home then? Not quite.
-"There's vacant rooms on third floor."
-"You make me drink, kidnap me and force me into sleeping in here and you don't even invite me into your room? This is treason."
It was dark, I couldn't see his face. But I truly felt his breath on my temple when he whispered to my ear:
-"Never been one to take advantage of my prey; I want her to surrender all by herself."
He was gone in a blow, leaving me with the only contact of cold air on my skin when I longed for so much more. Damn him.