Control: An X-Men Adventure and Wolverine Romance

Shell Shock

With the evening drawing on, I decided to set the kids down in front of a movie. They excitedly dragged bean bags and cushions into the centre of the room as I flicked on the projector. It beamed the opening titles for some kid-appropriate film about robots onto the wall. We turned out the lights and the room was filled with hushed but excited chatter.

Bobby and Rogue had come to join us, bringing up popcorn and other snacks from the kitchen. When everyone was settled, I turned my attention once again to Logan, who was still standing in the back, leaning against the wall. I wandered over and planted myself next to him, with own back to the wall. I watched the opening of the film for a while, but quickly found myself somewhat distracted when I glanced sideways and met Logan's gaze.

"What are you looking at?" I whispered, letting him know he was caught.
He said nothing but his eyes roamed over my face still.
"I bet the makeup looks even worse like this," I chuckled gesturing to the constantly changing light caused by the projector.
The corner of his lips twitched up into a faint smile.
"You look fine".
"Not clownish?"
"Oh clownish definitely, but still pretty."
My brain stalled for a moment as I realised Logan had just called me pretty. Sure it was sort of a joking neg of a compliment, but...
I lightly punched his arm.
"Zip it, badger,"
Logan couldn't help but laugh, although as per his usual style it was more of a single 'huff' of air.

He extended a hand toward my head for a moment and gently removed the tiara the kids had crowned me with. It was made of twisted wire with beads threaded onto it and very warped from being so roughly played with by countless pairs of little hands. He began to fix some of the crooked pieces, bending them back into place as best he could, one by one. When he was finished with his task he offered it back to me.

"Aw you take a girl's crown and then don't even put it back on her head?" I joked as I took it into my own hands and replaced it.
"I fixed it, what more d'ya want, bub?" He said, gruffly.

It was at this moment that my ears picked up the sound of the jet's engines - the low rumble of it's descent towards us on the ground. I shared a look with Logan, knowing that this meant we were soon to be relieved of baby sitting duty. It was a novelty for both of us to have someone else who possesed the same level of hearing. I was used to noticing sounds before the people around me and guessed he was too.

It was Scott's voice that crackled over the comlink they had left me with first.
"We're home, Storm's on her way up to take over."
"Alright," was my answer.
The next voice I heard was that of the professor inside my own mind.
"Thank you for looking after the children, you can leave the room now if you like, it's safe enough."
I glanced at Logan, and assumed from the look of relief washing over his face that he had heard Charles too.
"Don't think i'll ever get used to that", I muttered.
Logan was silent again, and moved for his exit. I followed him out into the hall, passing Storm on the way. She smiled in greeting. Logan nodded in acknowledgement, and I gave her a quick hug.

I was glad that whatever they had been doing, they were all back safely. I fell into step with Logan as he made his way across the building, back to our wing of the enormous house. We had just begun to climb the stairs, our feet only on the third or fourth step, when there was an enormous BANG.

I almost jumped out of my skin, and felt as though i'd been struck by lightning. My heart was pounding and I was immediately on high alert. My body was buzzing and my senses in overdrive. I looked in the direction of the noise and saw a skateboard which had made impact with the floor at the bottom of the stairwell. Following our eyes upwards we quickly spotted the cause, one of the tweens was hovering in the open gap in the centre of the top floor. He looked terrified and panicked.

The kid very slowly floated downward, until he was at ground level.
"What the hell, was that about kid?" Logan growled.
"I'm sorry Mr Logan, I was tryna surf the rail but the board slipped out from under my feet," the kid answered, trembling.
I was still so on edge that I hadn't noticed I was frozen in a ready stance with my claws outstretched, and wearing harsh looking scowl - which probably looked a little less scary given my painted face.
"Well don't do that shit again," he warned through gritted teeth.
The kid nodded sheepishly.