Unwilling Weapon

Logan's Girls Club

The next morning, it was still dark outside when Noh crept down to the kitchen to grab plenty of food. Unlike Logan, he needed food to fuel his healing before he could heal, and he didn't want to worry Jubilee with how much he needed it when she was already wary of comparisons to Wolverine.

It was early enough that he'd just slipped down in his pajama pants, barefoot, to make himself plenty of pancakes, and he was well into his first stack when he was surprised to hear footsteps coming down to the kitchen.

When he saw that it was Scott, he just smiled and nodded Scott's way. "You're up early," he said.

"This is when the coffee is still good — and available," Scott said with a soft smirk as he got a pot started.

"Yes, I see the wisdom in that," Noh said, nodding quietly.

"So, did you just get back?" Scott asked, leaning on the counter as he waited for the coffee. "Jubilee said you'd gone to do... something with SWORD?"

"I arrived last night," Noh said with a shrug, "and went right to Jubilee. I didn't mean to take so long, but some... past commitments have reared their ... ugly noses? Is that the phrase?"

"Faces, but close enough," Scott said, his head tilted to one side as he frowned Noh's way. "If you need some help—"

"It's not a concern for your team," Noh told him, cutting him off with a wave of his hand.

"Maybe not," Scott said as he set his mug down and really focused on Noh. "But you're kind of part of the group. Like it or not."

"I do enjoy it," Noh told him earnestly, turning his attention to Scott more fully. He hadn't realized that he was actually considered to be a member of the team, and he found himself smiling at the idea before he had even fully processed it.

"Are you familiar with the term 'family takes care of each other'?"

"I imagine it's similar to 'the Kree take care of their own'."

"Very," Scott said, nodding. He watched Noh for another long moment before he said, seriously, "Well, we take care of each other. Even if it's not a concern for the team."

"I appreciate the offer," Noh said. "Truly." He sighed as he finished off the last of the stack of pancakes and pulled a few more onto his plate. "I... hope you will not think too much of the change in subject, but I do have a pressing question for you," he said after a moment's pause.

"Anything you need," Scott replied as he went back to his coffee.

"When I was processing my records in SWORD," Noh said with a frown, "I... heard mention that aliens are not the only ones on your world who are so tightly regulated."

Scott frowned and nodded, a tight line to his mouth. "Yes, that's right."

"I don't recall hearing Jubilee ever speak about it. And ... considering how much trouble it has been for me not to have gone through the proper channels..."

Scott tipped his head to the side for a moment as if he suddenly understood what Noh was getting at. "I don't know that we ever took care of that," Scott admitted. "I'll — I'll see to it that it's been done — or it will be. We really don't need to give SHIELD a reason to come knocking."

"Certainly not," Noh agreed with a relieved smile. "Thank you. I care for her, deeply and truly — and I don't like to think she might be in trouble for anything, even something as simple as overzealous bureaucrats."

"I'll have Logan check with Fury — skip the red tape all together," Scott said with a nod.

"That — frankly — is a relief to hear," Noh said, his shoulders relaxing substantially as he absently traced the pattern of the band on his arm. "Thank you, Scott."