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Ororo walked into the kitchen of X-Mansion. She sighed as she looked for something to eat. Emma Frost had found all of the Skrulls in X-Mansion and she, Ororo, Logan, and Scott had managed to capture all of them. This was not without concern and outrage from the rest of the school. Everyone was reeling from the revelations that their roommates, their friends, had not been who they said they were for an unknown amount of time. Now she was attempting to avoid as many people as possible, especially Scott. He was in a panic due to the loss of Jean, and her whereabouts being unknown. Ororo of course felt the same way, just as she felt about Xavier, Jubilee, Xuan, Roberto, and Warren. However they couldn't do anything until they knew where the Skrulls were holding them, if they were even still alive.
Logan could smell her before he even stepped into the kitchen—would know her scent anywhere, like the smell before a thunderstorm, ozone and wet earth.
He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, he watched her move around, opening cabinets and peering into the fridge. He, too, was avoiding much of everyone—he wasn’t long for the mansion, the rising urge to run, to avoid their questions and their worries and their expectations, it weighed on him. He would take off back to the Avengers, probably soon, but not yet.
Ororo was probably the only person he wanted to speak with, in that mansion, at that very moment.
“There still beer in that fridge?” He asked, by way of greeting. “Or did it all get moved to the one in the garage?”
“The garage,” Ororo replied, “The younger students were sneaking them. Are you hungry?”
Logan chuckled, he pushed off from the doorframe, walked further into the kitchen. “Figures,” he leaned against the kitchen island. “I could eat.”
Ororo pulled out some leftovers, "Some of my father's recipes. Not quite as good reheated but..." She sighed, "Logan we may be out of our depth here."
Logan raised an eyebrow. “With the leftovers, darlin’?”
She scoffed and suppressed a smile, “No Logan, these Skrulls. This is an alien invasion we are dealing with.”
Logan’s face dropped into a frown, he nodded his agreement. “I know.” He stood straight, looked down and away. “I—worry, Ororo. About the kids, Chuck, Warren, about...Jean.” His frown deepened.
Ororo forced a smile, "Yes... I have faith that they are still out there, probably in whatever place these Skrulls call home."
Logan nodded again, though his frown didn’t let up. “Wherever the hell in space it is…I hope something comes out of the Avengers working with Doom, and soon.”
“As do I,” she replied. She paused for a while, then began again, “Unless…”
“Unless?” Logan repeated, crooking an eyebrow.
“We have five captured Skrulls. We could simply get the information from them where their ship is.”
Logan tilted his head as he considered it. “…Won’t make the Avengers happy, but that’s not our job."
“Yes agreed. We don’t have to deal with Doom slowing us down, or any of the other three egos that are butting heads in that mansion.”
“That alone will make everything go a whole lot faster.” Logan stood, then a thoughtful expression crossed his face. “Let’s eat, ‘Ro. Then we can go deal with aliens and spaceships.”
Ororo chuckled at the use of her nickname. It bothered her some when others use it, but not Logan. "You're right. Here," she handed him a plate of food and moved to the table.
Logan followed—sat across the table from her. “Hard to stop thinkin’ about it, though. Anything else interesting been happening since I've been gone, aside from aliens?”
“The usual. The new class is struggling to control their mutations, making lessons… exhausting, to say the least. The Brotherhood threatened the mansion a few times, but the team always has that handled.”
She searched his face, “I know it’s hard for you to comprehend this, but you have been missed Logan. A lot of the younger students ask about you. Rogue doesn’t like it when you are gone for long periods. Charles… or at least the Skrull, was seemingly worried for your safety. Avengers level threats tend to be more on the cosmic side nowadays,” she gestured vaguely in the direction of the Danger Room, where the Skrulls were being held to make her point.
“Moreover I have missed having you on the team, here in the mansion.”
A weary look came over Logan as she spoke. “I…I know, Ororo. It’s one thing to know it, though, I…” He scowled, picked up his fork and began pushing his food around. “I did miss this. The kids, the team…you.”
"Then come back home. The Avengers aren't exactly lacking manpower."
Logan was silent for a few moments, thinking. “I’m back for now, Ororo. I’m back for now.”
Ororo placed her hand on his, “Good, because I think… I needed you more than I realized. You’ve always said I am the person the team leans on, but that… burdens one as time goes on.”
Logan flipped his hand to clasp hers in it. “You have me to lean on, ‘Ro.” His voice was softer than usual as he spoke—just a little less gruff.
“I do now,” she let his words settle in her, and felt a lot of tension disappear.
Logan’s face softened into an almost smile, he gave her hand a light squeeze. “I am glad to be back.”
Ororo met Logan's eyes. Before she could say or do anything more, a voice cut through the air, "Wow, get a room."
Bobby Drake stood in the doorway, and smirked, "This is everyone's kitchen not the Lororo kitchen, girl."
Ororo's face went flush and she uttered his name in a warning tone, "Robert Drake..."
Logan shot Bobby a glare and growled low in his throat.
"Look I'm happy for you two, I just wanna be happy for you where I can enjoy a Coke without watching you braid Logan's chest hair," Bobby pulled a soda out of the pantry and it chilled instantly upon making contact with his hand.
“Nobody asked for commentary, kid.” Logan scowled.
Bobby sipped his drink and shrugged. Thunder rumbled a little outside, and Storm pulled Wolverine to his feet, "Let's go Logan."
Logan let himself be pulled, giving Bobby a look the whole way.
As they left she muttered, “I can’t have a moment's peace here.”
Logan let out a dry chuckle, “Guess it’s what ya get for livin’ in a house with a bunch of kids, ‘Ro.”
“Bobby is an adult,” she huffed.
“Debatable,” Logan said, his voice dry.
She threw her door open and walked him inside. Once she shut the door she kissed him, and then broke it quickly.
Logan blinked at her, stunned, then cradled her face in his hands, and kissed her again.
She accepted it, then broke it and said, “Logan, I… got ahead of myself. We should probably um… probably wait until the Skrull problem is taken care of, right?”
He thumbed at her cheek, staring into her eyes as she spoke, then nodded hesitantly in agreement. “You’re right, darlin’. You’re right.” He removed his hands from her face and swung his arms like he wasn’t quite sure what to do with them, his eyebrows furrowing.
“I’m sorry Logan,” she put his hand back on her cheek, “I promise, I’m ready for this.”
Logan looked thoughtful for a moment, his eyes cast away from her face. “I…I think I might be, too, Ororo. Though just about everythin’ in me wants to run.”
“I know. That is what you do. Logan I am Storm. I feel what nature itself feels,” she leaned in close, “No one understands your desire for freedom like me. All I ask is that you be free, with me.”
Logan leaned up to plant a kiss on her forehead. “I’d love more than anything to try, darlin’.”