Gorgeous could be the only word to describe this perfect summers day. The birds were chirping the sun was shining and the temperature was just right. Of course it’s handy to have a local weather goddess living only a few doors down from you in a school for gifted youngsters.
The residents of the mansion were all busy getting ready for the day’s events, for the professor had planned a special day for the children and the adults. He had noticed after the raids from Stryker that many of his pupils were tensed and emotions were beginning to turn to the worse. Everyone needed a break to finally relax from these past events. When the professor announced it the children were ecstatic and had begun to plan the day’s events. The adults too were somewhat relieved for this day of relaxation.
It was around 11 in the morning and the students were all running around preparing for the day. The adults were up early so they could have enough time to prepare everything for the children. They had all been through so much these past few months they wanted to make this day perfect.
Scott Summers ever the leader walked the halls of the school with clipboard in hand and made his rounds to all the staff to make sure they weren’t slacking off. So far everyone was doing their job. He only had to reprimand Jubilee and St. John once for trying to rig the front yard with X-plosive fireworks. She claimed she wanted to end the night with a “bang” ‘oh it would end in a bang all right’ thought Scott as he rolled his eyes.
Next on Scott’s list was Logan. After the Stryker incident Scott had gained a sort of respect for the feral man. He fought an army basically by himself and saved the children, granted he lost six but hey they got them back all right. At the memory Scott grimaced. ‘Lucky we got them back at all.’ Logan and Scott weren’t all buddy buddy but hey at least they stopped trying to kill each other at every word that came out of the others mouth.
Logan was in charge of the grilling burgers, hotdogs etc. Hell it was the only thing the man actually volunteered to do no one was going to argue especially when he let out a low growl. Now the problem was where the hell was he? Scott looked high and low, in the garage and outside. ‘Where the hell is that man! We have to stay on schedule it’s almost noon!’ Scott was beginning to become impatient when he came across one of the younger students, Liza and Rogue carrying a packet what looked like water balloons.
“Hey have you gals seen Logan around? I can’t seem to find him anywhere and I need to know if the grill and food is prepared.” Scott asked
“Nah Scott ah haven’t seen him yet.” Out of all the adults Rogue was definitely the most excited. After for so long she finally got control over her skin and was ready to strut her stuff in her new forest green bikini.
“Oh, oh oh!! I know where Mr. Logan is!” Liza a small girl of only six, with bright purple hair exclaimed. Liza had become a quick favorite since the first week she arrived. And everyone seemed to give her extra attention, especially after Stryker’s raid for she was one of the students that were captured.
“Oh yeah? Where is he?” Scott asked
“He was walking towards the woods early this morning. He looked like he needed a hug…He growled at Bobby and he looked like he was gonna wet his pants” she giggled
“I’ll go find him Scott you go ahead with your rounds. Liza how about you go find Kitty ah’m sure she can help yah with your water balloons.”
“Okey Dokey!” and off she went sprinting down the hallway and out of sight.
“Well if you’re sure about it go ahead. He’s your problem now.” Scott grinned and walked away
As Rogue turned and headed for the doors that would lead her outside she couldn’t help but worry. Over the past few months Logan had been warming up to the “X-geeks” as he lovingly called them and they warmed up to him. It seemed they realized that the big bad feral wasn’t as bad as they thought. He was a friend you could trust; they were a family of sorts.
The children seemed to swarm to Logan, he was there protector. Logan tried to be all growly and scary but that failed miserably and the kids seemed to have squirmed their way into Logan’s heart, though he would never dare to admit it. Lately though Logan had begun snapping at the children for the littlest of things. He had also begun to distance himself for his friends and now even Marie.
Rogue entered the woods and started to walk deeper and deeper into the woods. Logan and Marie would take long walks in the woods sometimes when life at the mansion was a little too much and Logan would take her to their favorite spot, an opening by a small lake that most of the residents didn’t know about it. It was their little secret. Rogue had a hunch he would be there, he told her once that he liked to come here to get his thoughts together.
Rogue emerged into the clearing and spotted right away the brooding feral. He was sitting with his knees up to his chin and his arms crossed on top. Logan was on a big rock that overlooked the entire lake. His eyebrows, from what she could see were in a deep frown. His gaze was on the lake, but he seemed to have this glazed look, which usually happened when he was in deep thought. Rogue tentatively walked up to his side softly calling his name.
“Logan…? Logan..? Earth to Logan?”
He jumped at her uninspected presence. “Jesus Marie, what the hell are ya doin?”
Shocked by catching him so rarely off-guard retorted, “What’s the matter sugah, your sniffer goin dull?”
“Like hell it is, I was just thinkin’ about something.” He added gruffly
“What were ya thinking about and why are ya out here all alone when we have a party to get to?” asked Marie
Logan stood and stared at her for a brief moment “It’s nothing you need concern yourself with kid, just leave it at that.”
“Why can’t you tell me? Scott sent me to look for you, can yah at least tell me why yah were out here?”
He held her concerned gaze and sighed “I had a headache ok? I was just getting some air before the party. I guess I just lost track of time. Wanna head back kid?” Logan asked
“Sounds like a plan sugah.” As they walked Logan unconsciously wrapped an arm around Rogue’s waist.
Logan and Rogue’s relationship was complicated to say the least. It had started as a protector protectee thing and as time went by it budded into friendship, but now the line between friendship and intimate relationship were beginning to blur. When Marie learned to control her power Logan waltzed up to her and her friends and place a kiss, just a peck on her lips, leaving her dazed and SUPER confused.
Not that she never thought about the possibility of her and Logan being a couple, she dared to hope. Most days they would spend all their time together, going out to bars, watching hockey, or a friendly sparring match in the danger rrom. Sometimes touches would last a little longer their gazes intense, but only for a fluttering moment. Before he would gruffly get up or change the subject. It was all too confusing.
Logan looked down at the girl wrapped in his arms and smiled a grim smile. He didn’t have the heart to burden her with his problem. She didn’t need to know about his disturbing dreams about a young boy and an even younger girl, all the blood and the screams of terror. Each dream was the same and each time he woke up with only a slight recollection of what happened. He knew the dreams had more detail but he couldn’t grasp it. After the first dream the headaches started, slowly and with less intensity than the one he had now. But soon they intensified in occurrence and pain. She was better off not knowing, he cared about her too much to tell her.
When they got back the festivities had already begun and children were running around with water guns and balloons. Bobby and St. John were using their powers, Bobby would provide the ice, and St. John would melt it into instant ammo, giving them buckets of water drenching whoever dared to get near. Other kids were participating in a potato sack race refereed by Hank no powers allowed, while Ororo and Jean showed kids some arts and crafts.
Logan let go of Rogue’s waist and started to stroll over to the grill to start it, these kids would be getting hungry soon.
Rogue called out to him, “Hey Logan! Ah almost forgot! Ah got yah a little something! I put it on your bed this morning! It’s for later after you’re done cookin!”
Logan looking slightly confused shrugged and kept walking. “There you are!” shouted Scott a little louder than necessary.
Logan flinched away, the loud noise not helping his headache. “Yeah yeah I’m here don’t get your panties in a bunch Scooter.”
Scott only sighed, not wanting to cause any problems just walked away to check up on the rest of the activities. The day was going great; by the time the food was done the children ate in a frenzy. Not wanting to waste any more time in the day for the fun in the sun. The adults satisfied with how things were going changed into their swimsuits and headed for the pool.
Jubilee, Kitty, and Marie had been waiting for this part all day, for their time of relaxation. The girls strutted down to the pool in their bikini’s proud of how good they looked, and they knew they looked good, especially if the stares from Bobby and St. John were anything to go on. Jubilee was wearing a sparkling yellow bikini with a halter top, while kitty was wearing a matching baby pink one and Marie her brand new forest green bikini with a swirling pattern and spaghetti straps.
Logan smiled slightly and decided to hit the hay, or at least retreat from this happy scene, his headache hadn’t gotten any better, in fact it had increased in intensity. He needed to leave before he clawed somebody. Specifically a little yellow eye sore and her big mouth.
“Hey Wolvie where are you goin!” yelled Jubilee.
‘Damn, too late.’
“Yeah Logan don’t you want to go swimming, the weather is perfect, I made sure,” laughed Ororo.
‘Quick you idiot think of something! Stomach ache? Nah to wimpy, uh..the truth…? Hell no!’
“Um...well you see I don’t have a swimsuit, so I guess I will be just goin inside now…have fun!”
“Wait Logan! That’s what I got you! I knew you didn’t have one so I wanted to make sure you could go swimming too,” said Marie. Logan looked at her, he didn’t know what to say, he didn’t want her spending her money on him, he wasn’t worth it. However he took too long to respond and St. John interjected.
“What’s the matter Logan can’t swim? Or do you only sink?” snickering from his friends pulled him out of his thoughts and he snarled “Of course I can swim! Where’s the damn swimsuit kid!”
“Um, well it’s on your bed, but Logan you don’t have t-“
“No, no! Thanks for the trunks kid, I’ll be right back!” Logan snorted; those people have the audacity to think he can’t swim? ‘Ok, well maybe it is kinda hard to stay afloat…but christ I am filled with metal what the hell do they expect!’
Logan opened the door to his room and looked over to his bed. ‘The hell?’ On his bed laid out were his swim trunks. Logan joked that maybe Marie had gotten him a speedo because of the looks she was giving him these day’s but not this. On his bed were a pair of knee length BRIGHT YELLOW swim trunks with three blue stripes on each leg going horizontally on what would be his thighs. He started at the offensive clothing for a while, not touching it as though it had the plague.
‘Fuck.’ Logan finally grabbed the trunks and slipped them on. He would be in the water, nobody would really see them. He hoped. What was Marie thinking? Was she trying to embarrass him? All of a sudden he began to sway as an agonizing pain shot through his brain. “Fuck this headache, and fuck this day…” groaned Logan
Marie anxiously awaited Logan’s return, she hoped he liked his swim trunks. She wasn’t sure but something about them screamed LOGAN. She spotted Logan walking slowly down the path to the pool looking a little paler than he had before making her automatically start to worry.
“Sugah are you ok? Yah look kind of pale.” With that said everyone turned to stare at him. Logan feeling uncomfortable under their questioning gaze growled low and everyone went back to their business.
“Hey Wolvie, LOVE the trunks man yellow is you!” nagged Jubilee.
“Shut it yellow, I’m not in the mood, and don’t call me that.” Growled Logan
“Alright jeesh! Calm down no need to get all growly at me!”
“Logan are you sure you are all right? You do look pale, do you need to sit down?” asked Jean her doctor mode kicking in.
“Nah Jeanie really, I’m ok,” Logan barely stopped himself from swaying. The last thing he wanted was them to start fussing over him. Logan walked to the water’s edge and looked down into the water. Why was he here again? He felt like shit and just wanted to close his eyes and sleep.
He kept gazing into the water hoping the feeling would just go away.
“Help me Jimmy!”
“Maggie, no! Victor!” Sharp, agonizing pain shot through his brain causing Logan to yell and hold his head. The world began to spin and he lost his balance and fell into the pool sinking all the way to the bottom.
The world around him was getting dark and for the life of him, Logan couldn’t find the strength to move. Logan could see his friends gathered around the pools edge. They were calling his name and he couldn’t do anything. That’s when everything went dark.
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Story Notes:
This is my first story please be kind! This is a mixture of X-2, Origins, and my brain. Enjoy!
Author's Chapter Notes:
Please enjoy.I thought this was a neat little story =)
Chapter End Notes:
review please! next chapter: What's Wrong with Logan?