Chapter Text
The Xavier Institute kitchen smelled like fresh coffee and toasted bagels. Morning sunlight poured through the tall windows. Jubilee breezed in, sunglasses already perched on her head, a bundle of envelopes in her hands.
“Mail call!” she announced, dropping the stack on the table with a dramatic flourish. Most of it was bills and magazines, but one envelope stood out. It was heavy, cream-colored with a shine, and sealed in deep red wax. Jubilee picked it out and held it high. “Oooh, look at this one. Fancy.”
At the far end of the table, Logan nursed a mug of black coffee. Jubilee tilted her head toward him, grin growing.
“This one’s for you, grumpy. Says ‘Logan Howlett’ real nice on the front. Cursive. Like… wedding-invite cursive.”
Logan’s eyes flicked up. He grunted. “Toss it.”
“Toss it?” Jubilee gasped. “This envelope probably costs more than my entire wardrobe. You can’t just—” She tore it open before he could protest, sliding out thick parchment that shimmered in the light. “Oh my God. No way.”
“Jubes…” Logan’s scowl deepened.
Jubilee cleared her throat, voice dripping with drama: “You are cordially invited to the wedding of Steven Rogers and Peggy Carter—” She froze. “Captain freakin’ America is getting married? And you got invited?”
Logan sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Guess so.”
She shook the parchment at him like it might explode. “You guess so? This is front-page, world-shaking hero gossip! You have to go.”
“Don’t plan on it,” Logan muttered, reaching for his coffee again.
Jubilee plopped into the chair across from him, eyes sparkling. “Come on, old man. Don’t tell me you’re just gonna brood while Captain America ties the knot.”
“Ain’t my scene.”
“Everything’s not your scene,” she shot back. “But this? This is history. And look—” she tapped the bottom of the invite with her pink nail, “says right here, ‘plus one.’ That means you don’t have to suffer alone.”
Logan took the envelope from her hand with a glare sharp enough to cut. He set it face-down on the table without a word.
Jubilee smirked. “You already got somebody in mind, don’t you?”
“Ain’t like that.”
“So there is somebody.”
“Kid—”
The kitchen door swung open before he could finish. Morph strolled in, immediately shifting into Jubilee’s exact face and voice: “Mail caaall!” They shifted back into their own form with a grin and dropped into the chair beside Logan. “What’d I miss?”
Jubilee lit up. “Perfect timing. We were just talking about Logan’s date.”
Logan coughed as his coffee went down the wrong pipe.
Morph blinked, then smirked, eyes flicking between them. “Date, huh?”
Logan set his mug down harder than necessary. “Ain’t a date. I told you I ain’t goin’.”
“Oooh. Now this I gotta hear.”
“There’s nothin’ to hear,” Logan growled, glaring daggers at Jubilee. “Kid’s makin’ stuff up.”
“Logan got invited to Captain America’s wedding!” Jubilee waved the parchment like a flag. “And he can bring a plus one.”
Morph leaned back, eyebrows lifting. “Steve Rogers, huh? You should go, Logan. You two go way back. World War Two and all that. And the way you talk about him makes me think you actually like the guy.”
Logan grunted, eyes narrowing. “Don’t mean I gotta sit through a weddin’.”
Jubilee pointed at him, triumphant. “Exactly why you need a plus one. Otherwise, you’ll just lurk in a corner until people start whispering you’re gonna stab the cake. And who better to keep you from sulking than Morph? They’re always the life of the party.”
Morph shot Jubilee a look of surprise as Logan muttered, “More like trouble.”
“Rude,” Jubilee said, winking at Morph. “But accurate. Which is why you should absolutely bring Morph. They’ll keep people entertained while you brood in peace. It’s a win-win.”
Logan stood abruptly, chair scraping the floor. “You two need t’ quit yappin’.” He snatched the envelope off the table and headed for the door.
“Is that a yes?” Jubilee called after him.
Logan’s only reply was a gravelly grumble that trailed down the hall.
Jubilee turned back to Morph, eyes sparkling. “I’m totally picking out your outfit.”
That night, the mansion was quiet. Logan paused outside Morph’s door, knuckles hovering before he finally knocked.
“Yeah?” came Morph’s voice.
Logan pushed the door open. Morph sprawled on the bed in sweats, flipping through a magazine. They looked up, grinning. “What’s up?”
Logan stepped in, scratching at the back of his neck. “Got a minute?”
Morph set the magazine aside, sitting up. “For you? Always.”
He hesitated, then shut the door. He didn’t sit, just stood there, arms crossed, like he’d rather be anywhere else. “About that wedding thing this mornin’…”
Morph raised a brow, waiting.
Logan exhaled hard. “Look, I ain’t exactly the type that likes crowds. You know that. If I show up alone, people’ll yap at me. Ask why I’m still ridin’ solo. Can’t stand it. But you…” He gestured vaguely, almost embarrassed. “You’re good at talkin’ to people. Gettin’ ’em off my back. Makin’ ’em laugh. You’d keep folks from botherin’ me.”
Morph tilted their head, smile tugging at their lips. “So let me get this straight. You want me to be your… human shield. Against social interaction.”
Logan grunted. “Somethin’ like that.”
Morph folded their arms, grinning wider. “You know, most people would just say, ‘Will you go with me?’”
“Will you?”
Morph’s expression softened. “Yeah, Logan. Of course I’ll go.”
Some of the tension left his shoulders. He gave a short nod, like that was that, and reached for the doorknob.
“Hey, Logan?” Morph called after him.
He glanced back.
“You could’ve just said you wanted me there.”
Logan muttered something about “smart-ass shapeshifters,” but there was the faintest curve at his mouth as he left.
The next morning the hallway outside the kitchen buzzed with morning noise; clattering pans, Beast humming something operatic, Scott arguing with the toaster. Morph snagged Jubilee by the sleeve before she could burst through the swinging door.
“Walk with me,” Morph whispered, steering her toward a little alcove in the hall.
Jubilee narrowed her eyes. “If this is about me ‘accidentally’ forwarding that meme of Logan in a tux—”
“It was a good meme,” Morph said solemnly. “But this is a peace negotiation.”
“Go on.”
Morph lowered their voice. “Terms: if you, Miss Jubilee ‘Teasing Is My Love Language’ Lee, do not make a big deal about me going to Cap’s wedding with Logan… then I will, one, let you help me pick my outfit. Two, send you pictures throughout the event. And three, provide real-time drama updates.”
Jubilee’s mouth fell open. “Fashion control and live tea?” Jubilee glanced toward the kitchen, then back at Morph. “What counts as ‘making a big deal’ exactly? Because my baseline is pretty high.”
“No squealing in front of Logan,” Morph said, ticking points off on their fingers. “No waggling eyebrows. No ‘finally.’ No ‘I ship it.” No fireworks. And, no announcing to the entire team that we’re going as dates. I’m going as… social safety equipment.”
“Ugh. So unromantic. I’m in hell. But fine. Minimal squealage.” She stuck out her pinky. “Pinky promise.”
Morph hooked it with deadly seriousness. “Pinky promise.”
“Okay, logistics,” Jubilee said, already pulling out her phone. “What’s my budget for your outfit? Do you know what Logan will be wearing? Can we do two looks: ceremony and reception?”
Morph laughed. “Absolutely not. I’m going to support Logan, not steal the show.”
“Oh, please, there’s no way you won’t be the hottest one there,” Jubilee said, already looking at ideas on Pinterest. She paused and looked up at Morph. “You sure you’re okay, though? With all this?”
Morph exhaled, a tiny smile tugging at the corner of their mouth. “Yeah. I’m good. I… want to be there. With him.”
Jubilee’s grin came back full force, and then she visibly wrestled it down to a calm, cool smirk. “Understated. I can do understated.” She bounced once on her toes. “Okay. We go into the kitchen, chill and normal.”
They looked at each other.
“On three,” Morph said.
“Three,” Jubilee blurted, and they both burst into barely-contained giggles before smoothing their faces, rolling their shoulders back, and pushing through the kitchen door like nothing was unusual at all.
Jubilee sauntered to the coffee. Morph slid into his usual seat next to Logan, equally blasé.
“Mornin’,” Logan grunted.
“Morning,” Morph said, perfectly even.
Jubilee took a sip of coffee and kept her gaze safely on the mug. “So, like… weather.”
Morph had to cover their face with their hand to keep from laughing.