It was a hot and sticky summer's night at the Xavier institute. Bedroom windows had been opened wide but the curtains were as motionless as if they had been carved from marble. There wasn't even a hint of a breeze to lessen the residents' discomfort, just warm stale air that made sleep impossible.
With a sigh of frustration Marie turned to face her bed companion. "Logan?"
"Yeah?" The same air of irritation also echoed through her lover's voice.
"You can't sleep either, huh?"
"Nope."
She smiled at him in the half-light. "Wanna go down to the kitchen and share some ice cream?"
"Not unless it's beer flavoured."
"Oh," she couldn't keep the disappointment from sneaking into her words. "OK."
Logan reached across to tenderly caress her face. "Hey. I ain't saying I don't want to go down with yer. I'm just not an ice cream kinda guy. I can have a beer."
She grinned mischievously. "Oh, I dunno. You kinda enjoyed licking that vanilla ice cream off me the other night."
He returned the grin. "Ah, but that was different."
"I can't see how," she teased. "It was still ice cream."
"Yeah, but it was mixed with *your* taste. A good combination."
Marie raised an eyebrow as she suddenly had a thought. "Do you realise that you've never licked beer off me?"
She giggled at the growl that resonated deep from within his broad chest. "Never say never, darlin'."
She rose sleepily from the bed. "C'mon, Logan. I'm gonna melt if I don't get something cold inside me soon."
It was Logan's turn to raise an eyebrow. "I could always stick my dick in the freezer for five minutes."
"Logan!" she laughed, feigning shock. "You are soooooo bad!"
Logan leaped up onto his knees and purposely exaggerated a deep growl this time. "Bad as they come, darlin'."
She lent down to level with his smirking face. "Yeah - but secretly soft and gooey on the inside." She quickly delivered a kiss to the end of his nose. "Just like ice cream."
"Hey!" He attempted to grab her but she dodged him and made a dash for the bedroom door.
"Too slow, sugar," she drawled mockingly, her hands on her hips. "Is all that bad-ass muscle weighing you down?"
Quick as a flash he was before her and pressing her up against the wall. "You're getting a little full of yourself," he warned playfully as he repositioned his hands to cage her in his arms. He bent down to whisper into her ear. "Is this heat bringing out a different side of Marie?"
Marie took a deep breath as she felt his warm breath against her skin, feeling the excitement grow within her. She liked Logan best like this - dominating, almost feral, as the Wolverine fleetingly took centre stage in his mind. "Maybe," she murmured in anticipation.
"Maybe?" he toyed, rolling the word upon his tongue, as his hand slowly ran the length of her body, outlining the swell of her hips, the curve of her waist, moving across to cup her breast. She felt a quiver of longing coarse through her, recognising all to well the look in his eyes.
Yet she was surprised to find herself consideration -
Sex or ice cream?
Oooooooh, she deliberated - a particularly difficult choice under the circumstances.
The ice cream eventually won by a very narrow - an exceptionally minute - margin.
"It's too hot for that, sugar," she finally insisted quietly - as much as she wanted to oblige the Wolverine she almost felt ill from the sticky heat. "At least right now." She moved forward to brush a kiss across his soft warm lips. "Maybe later?"
"You're actually more interested in ice cream?" Logan watched her in disbelief for a moment before scrubbing a hand across his face. "Holy shit - I'm losing it."
"You're not losing anything, Logan," Marie disagreed with a playful roll of her eyes. The look of panic on his face made her want to laugh but instead she thought it best to reassure him. "The Wolverine could *never* lose it," she whispered huskily.
Logan stopped frowning and promptly released her. "Kitchen it is then." He reached for his jeans, slung over a chair, and dragged them up his muscular thighs. Keeping his chest bare he made to leave the room.
Perplexed, Marie grabbed for her dressing gown and followed him out into the corridor. "Hey? You recovered quickly. Were you just winding me up?"
Logan chuckled softly as he reached for her hand. "Maybe."
"Were you?" Marie nudged his burly frame with her hip.
"Baby," Logan answered firmly, wrapping an arm tightly around her. "I *know* the Wolverine could never lose it."
"Yeah, well what about Logan?"
"Right now, Logan wants a beer as desperately as you want that ice cream."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As they neared the kitchen they heard lowered voices and realised that they weren't the only ones who couldn't sleep. Logan groaned quietly - he had hoped to take Marie up on that 'licking beer off her body' idea after she had had her fill of ice cream.
Marie looked across at him quizzically. "Sounds like Scott and Jean."
He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Yeah - you can't fail to notice One Eye's grating voice."
Marie frowned at him and he decided that she looked extremely cute when she was angry. "Logan - be nice."
"Yeah - whatever," he promised grudgingly.
Scott and Jean were sat side by side at the kitchen table when they entered. They wore matching cotton dressing gowns although Jeans was her usual trademark red whilst Scott wore black.
Logan folded his arms and lent against the doorframe, smirking as he regarded his fellow X-Men. "Well, I think I've seen it all now. One Eye devouring a tub of ice cream with a little bitty spoon."
Scott's jaw tightened and his spoonful of raspberry ripple hovered half way between his mouth and the tub. "So?" he countered defensively. "It was only a few days ago I saw you leave the kitchen with a tub of vanilla."
Logan glanced knowingly across at Marie as she made for the freezer. "Yeah, but that wasn't exactly for eating. Not with a spoon at least. Ain't that right, darlin'?"
Marie was too interested in the contents of the freezer, however, to answer his question. "Huh?"
Jean grinned. "Perhaps they'll bring out a beer flavoured ice cream especially for you, Logan."
"With a cigar wedged in the top instead of a flake," Scott added dryly.
Logan ignored them and made for the fridge. After several minutes of rooting around he turned with a growl. "Damn that woman! Where's Storm hidden the beer again?"
"Top cupboard, furthest to your left," Jean offered as she jabbed her fruits-of-the-forest ice cream with her spoon.
Logan lumbered across to where she had indicated, wrenching out a bottle angrily. "Great! You lot get nice cold ice cream and I get a warm beer! Why does the weather witch keep moving them?"
"Because," Scott reminded, "this is a school, Logan - for kids. Who aren't allowed to drink alcohol. And that cupboard is so high, you're about the only one who can reach it without a stool."
"Kids can use stools too, One Eye. They're not stupid."
Scott grinned. "Yeah - but who would want to drink warm beer?"
Logan shook his head despairingly and looked thoroughly put out as he plonked himself down on a stool. He made everyone jump as he allowed a single claw to spring out and proceeded to wrench off the bottle lid.
Marie joined him then so that they sat opposite Jean and Scott at the large table. "Sure I can't tempt you with a tub, sugar?" she offered, hovering her tub under his nose. The iciness that rose up from it in a soft white vapour proved to be quite pleasant and Logan was disappointed when she pulled away.
"Nah," he sulked. "I'll stick to my *warm* beer." He brought the bottle to his lips, dropping his head back to gulp it down. He grimaced mid gulp, however, slamming the bottle back upon the table. "Jeeze! That tastes foul! Where's iceman when you need him?"
Jean laughed gently. "I expect he's the only one of us who can sleep through this heat."
Marie grinned. "Perhaps we should wake him and get him to cover the lawn with snow. That would be nice and cool."
"I wouldn't say no to that right now," Logan admitted wiping the beads of sweat from his brow. "Sounds good."
Scott smirked. "I can just imagine it - the Wolverine dancing around in the snow."
"Naked!" Marie giggled.
Logan glared at Scott dangerously but his features melted into disappointed by the time he glanced back across at Marie. "Hey? Whose side are you on, darlin'?"
She reached across to squeeze his hand apologetically. "Sorry, sugar. Couldn't resist."
Jean smiled warmly at the exchange between them and a glint of mischief sparked in her eyes. "Imagine them *both* dancing naked, Marie?" she dared. "Lit up by the moonlight. Bits a' jiggling!"
The women burst out laughing.
Obviously unimpressed, Scott turned his ruby red gaze onto his wife. "Don't *you* start, Jeannie."
"Oh, it's two in the morning," she protested. "Lighten up, Scott."
Logan cocked an eyebrow. "Sure *your* ice cream ain't beer flavoured, Red?" But he stopped suddenly, sniffing at the air. "Oh great!" he rolled his eyes again. "Here comes more of em. Sure there's enough ice cream in that freezer?"
"The Professor had a load delivered yesterday," Marie revealed softly, nibbling at the large scoop of chocolate ice cream that balanced precariously upon her spoon. "After the forecast predicted this heat wave." She grinned, meeting Logan's eyes teasingly. "And since *we* had finished off the last of the vanilla."
Bobby and Jubilee entered the kitchen just then - more dressing gowns and pyjamas, although Jubilee's were bright yellow.
"You lot having a party?" she demanded excitedly.
"Does it look as if we're having fun?" Logan growled. As Bobby passed him he reached out an arm. "Hey! Not so fast ice-man."
Bobby swallowed uncomfortably as he met his gaze. "What?"
Logan reached out his beer.
Understanding filled Bobby's eyes along with immense relief. "He took the bottle, blew down into it with his icy breath, and handed it back."
"Thanks, kid."
By this time, Jubilee had half submerged herself in the large freezer and was rapidly whispering a mantra to herself: "Please let there be cookies and cream. Please let there be cookies and cream. Please let there be cookies and cream!"
Logan was tempted to push the mouthy Asian right in and close the lid. It wasn't that he disliked her; she just had a tendency to always make him look stupid in front of Marie.
"Yeah!" the girl finally cheered and surfaced with a triumphant smile as she held out the tub. "Ooooh, I just *love* the professor. I could kiss his bald head right this minute."
"Er, that won't be necessary, Jubilee, although the sentiment is - er - strangely appreciated." Professor Xavier wheeled into the room, looking odd wearing his own black silk dressing gown and pyjamas when they were so used to seeing him in suits.
Jean rose from her seat with a sympathetic smile. "Heat getting to you too, Professor?"
He nodded, dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief. "I've never known it to be so hot."
"Would you like me to pour you a nice cold drink?" she added affectionately.
The professor wheeled over to the freezer. "Actually," he answered rather sheepishly. "I wouldn't say no to a tub of ice cream. If you would be so kind as to reach in and get me one, Jean?"
She hastily obliged and everyone watched riveted, curious to know which flavour the Professor would choose. They guessed by the amused look on Jean's face that he had spoken his decision telepathically.
"Vanilla," Jubilee mouthed silently to the X-Men around the table.
Marie shook her head. "Got to be raspberry ripple."
Scott disagreed and after a moment's deliberation offered: "Coffee?"
Logan didn't really care and gulped down the remainder of his beer instead, relishing the icy coldness as it washed down his throat.
Jubilee made a face. "They make a coffee flavour? Gross!"
The Professor eventually turned with a smug smile. "You are all wrong." He held up the small tub for their inspection.
"Cognac?" Scott spluttered, almost choking on the contents of his spoon. "I didn't even know that they made alcoholic ice cream!"
Logan's interest in the whole ice cream business was instantly roused at the word *alcoholic*.
The Professor looked down at the tub knowingly. "I actually had it especially made."
"You go, Professor!" Jubilee put in approvingly.
"You got it especially made?" Logan enquired in surprise. "They'll do that for you?"
"I'm a good customer," the Professor revealed with a hint of pride.
"And you can have *any* alcoholic beverage added?" Logan persisted.
"I believe so." The Professor looked amused and Logan guessed the man knew where this chain of thought was heading.
Scott nudged his wife as she sat down beside him again gesturing towards Logan. "Look at him, Jeannie. You can almost hear those rusted cogs turning in his head."
Logan ignored him but made a mental note to pay him back for such a remark in the Danger Room the next day. "Can they make *beer* flavour by any chance?"
"Hm - I don't see why not," the Professor considered.
Logan slammed his hand down onto the table. "Then put me down for a caseload next time you order. I've got money."
He watched everyone through narrowed eyes as they burst into hysterics around him. "What?" he growled. "I'm serious."
Between fits of giggles Marie spoke. "We *know* you're serious, sugar. That's what's so funny!"
Logan leaned in close to her so that he could whisper into her ear. "Well, let's just put it this way, darlin'. I won't be licking *vanilla* ice cream off you next time." He grinned his satisfaction as he sensed the shiver of anticipation run through her. "Catch my drift?"
She returned a whisper into his ear. "Promises, promises."
Jubilee finally broke their intimacy with a high-pitched squeal that actually hurt Logan's ears and he glowered at her in irritation.
"Oh my god - look!" she gushed excitedly. "The window everyone! I wondered where Bobby had disappeared off to!"
Everyone followed her pointing finger.
To their delight it was snowing!
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Story Notes:
This was written when I wanted some time out from all the M/L angst I was writing and because I just wanted to write something light and see the X- Men characters interacting in a fun way! In this fanfic world, Jean didn't die at Alkali Lake (but they still escaped - obviously). It's also about two years after those events, Marie is about 20 and she and Logan have been together for about a year.
Because I'm from the UK some things I write about might not be recognised by an American audience, so - Dressing gown = bathrobe and flake = is a chocolate stick thing that, here in the UK, we like to stick in our ice cream.
Because I'm from the UK some things I write about might not be recognised by an American audience, so - Dressing gown = bathrobe and flake = is a chocolate stick thing that, here in the UK, we like to stick in our ice cream.