"Mmm..now that smells divine." Ororo remarked from the kitchen counter she
sat at, watching Logan work his culinary skills over the stove. Ororo noticed
how his movements were quick and graceful as he went about preparing dinner.
The steaks that Logan kept well stocked in his refrigerator had already been
soaking in marinade. In no time at all the stove top grill was fired up and
the thick juicy slabs were placed on the rack. Ororo kept her eyes on Logan,
studying his muscular form, as he placed each dripping slab of meat on the
fire.
She felt a brief, dull pain in her head that sounded like a static whisper.
The only words she was able to decipher from the static in her brain were
Fresh and Meat. Her eyes had glazed over to a predatory gaze, she leaned
over the counter, closer in the direction of Logan's turned back. Her tongue
licking over the fronts of her teeth, teasing the points of her incisors,
drawing faint drops of blood on her tongue. At the taste of the coppery
liquid in her mouth, the dull pain and static in her brain had quickly faded
away. Ororo had relaxed back into her seat at the counter with a slight
mixture of confusion. And was that a bit of fear rising up in her chest
that she felt?
As if sensing her uneasiness, Logan turned from the stove, head cocked to
the side he looked at Ororo and asked,
"Everythin' okay, 'Ro?"
She didn’t answer Logan's question. Instead Ororo looked straight at him her only
response, "Mmm.now that smells divine." in hopes of moving the subject away
from her current state. Ororo didn't overlook how Logan's gaze on her
slightly narrowed along with the sudden flare of his nostrils. Nodding his
head in approval Logan's eyes widening back to normal after seeing the smile
spread across Ororo's face.
"Thanks 'Ro. Hope its just as good going down." He said with a smile of his
own to match, strolling to the refrigerator to find some side items to
prepare with the steaks. Logan returned with a bowl of green beans that he
dropped into the heat pot on the stove. Then turned to a few potatoes that were
placed in the sink awaiting to be washed. "How do ya take your steak, 'Ro.?"
Ororo looked at Logan with a shy smile playing on her lips. "Rare."
She could have sworn she saw a sparkle in Logan's eye. "Only way ta take it
darlin'." He quickly flipped the steaks over to cook briefly on the other
side.
"Where did you learn how to cook?" Ororo asked after Logan had washed off
the potatoes and placed them in the oven. Logan had his back against the
kitchen sink facing Ororo. Her eyes surveyed his body. He was wiping his
hands with a dish rag. Chest broad, straining against the material of the
simple white t-shirt he had on. Arms, that were huge and no doubt powerful.
Maybe even dangerous she thought arching a brow. His forearms thick and
veined she could see the blood pumping through that beautiful body of his.
The dish rag distracted her full appraisal of Logan's form.
He had causally thrown it over to lay on his right shoulder. Ororo's top
teeth suddenly took in her bottom lip thinking to herself as she looked at
Logan 'Goddess there is not anything sexier than a man in the kitchen'.
Logan was speaking to her, time to pay attention. She quickly dismissed her
previous thoughts only for them to be replaced with other naughty thoughts
of what could possibly make this man even sexier out of the kitchen. 'By
the Goddess, pay attention!' Ororo stayed attentive looking Logan straight
in his eyes as he spoke, giving him her full attention. She looked into
those dark steely gray eyes of his. Nope that wasn't going to work either.
His gaze was too strong for her. She focused her eyes on his eyebrows. That
would have to do for now.
"I was in tha service awhile back. Picked up quite a few things from the
experience. After I was discharged I traveled around a bit, country hopping
so ta speak so I got my share of taste testing in when it came to tha
different cuisines. Lived in Japan fer a few years before settling down in
tha States. Always missed a good steak where ever I was. So, now here I am
with you sharing what I hope will be one of my best meals." Logan reached
for his opened beer sitting on the counter, saluting the bottle at Ororo
with a wink before taking a quick swig.
Ororo smiled and winked right back at Logan as she took a sip from her
bottled water. Her body slightly tensed when Logan mentioned living in
Japan She convinced herself that she would have had the same reaction if he
had said any other country or city. There was Australia, Bogotá, France,
Prague, Portugal, Hong Kong, Sweden, Moscow. Just a few out of a long globe
trekking list to name that reminded her of the places she had been and the
things she had done. But why Japan?
" I had my reasons." Logan said reaching over to turn the flame down on the
stovetop grill.
Ororo didn't realized she had voiced her last thought. But maybe this
was an opportunity to get an answer to her question. " Logan, I apologize if
you feel as if I am prying." Ororo said through an innocent yet sincerely
apologetic gaze.
"No, its okay 'Ro. I guess, I'm just not use ta answering that question.
Matter o' fact I think you're one of tha first ta ask." Logan said running
one hand through his wild dark hair flashing Ororo a lopsided grin. "After
I was discharged I kept good on a promise I made to a buddy of mine in the
service" Logan's eyes were downcast for a moment. "He was sent on a
reconnaissance mission gone wrong never made it back."
Ororo looked at Logan with a feeling of understanding. "I'm sorry to hear
that Logan."
He nodded in acceptance to her condolences. "Well, after I got word about
him I received a package a few days later from him postmarked before he was sent
on assignment. Inside the package was a sealed envelope, directions to a
small village outside of Nagasaki, instructions of who ta deliver it ta
and a note saying that my debt had been repaid. He kinda saved my skin once
from some heat back in tha day." Logan said with a reminiscent grin, raking
a hand through his hair.
"Who was the sealed envelope for?" Ororo asked with eager eyes.
"A great-grand-uncle of his. Took me a few months after I was discharged ta
finally make it there. When I arrived at the village and gave tha letter ta
tha fella, he musta been about eighty-eight years old or so. He invited me
to stay for dinner that night. And I kinda stayed for nine years. "
Ororo raised her eyebrows in genuine surprise. "Nine years?"
Logan nodded his head in confirmation before taking another swig of his
beer.
"Why so long?" she asked.
Logan leaned back against the sink, both arms crossed resting against his
broad chest, staring Ororo straight into her sapphire eyes. "Because what I
found there was something I couldn't find anywhere else. Peace."
Ororo stared at him in awe or was that perhaps jealousy? "You found peace in
Japan?" She eyed Logan attempting not to seem too suspicious by his
proclamation.
Logan took another swig of his beer. "Uh-huh, peace."
"How?" Ororo asked suspicion now evident in her voice and narrowed gaze.
Logan shrugged his shoulders. " Don't rightly know, just learned ta accept
it I guess. I turned my mind off from all of tha other bullshit of the past.
Just found the strength to let the bullshit go. Tha old fella helped a lot also."
"Really, how so?"
"He was a real traditional fella, a warrior back in his day. Actually who
ever stops being a warrior? He was a warrior to the end. A samurai. And for
those nine years that I stayed in that village he taught me in the ways of
the samurai, the ways of a true warrior. Physically, mentally, and
spiritually. I learned ta live and follow my days in the samurai code of
conduct. Loyalty, courage, veracity, compassion and--"
"Honor. The laws of Bushido." Ororo said cutting him off in mid-sentence with her
whisper thin comment and far away gaze she quickly shook herself out of.
Logan arched his brow in slight disbelief nodding his head in silent
agreement.
"Did you ever find out what was in the envelope you delivered to the old
man?"
"No. He never told me. And I never asked. After he passed on I decided to
head to the States and make a life outta what had brought me the most
peace."
"Let me guess. The dojo." Ororo said with a knowing smile.
"You got it 'Ro. Tsukuri has become my little slice of heaven for the past
seven years."
"May I ask why you chose to name your dojo Tsukuri?."
Immediately Ororo noticed how Logan went into sensei mode. “Well, tha name
Tsukuri is a term used ta denote tha moment and position that exists when ya
have broken yer opponent's balance so that it's easy ta apply a throwing
technique, while at tha same time you have positioned
yourself--"
"In the proper position to strike." Ororo had interrupted Logan for the
second time in mid-sentence. And for the second time he looked at her
slightly disbelieving her knowledge. She looked at him with a gentle smile.
" I believe my question was why you named the dojo Tsukuri not the full
definition of the word." Ororo's gentle smile had begun to flash fully. "The
definition I already know. I am however curious about the name."
Logan's disbelief dropped from his face at the sight of her smile, settling
into a full on chuckle at her comment. "I see you do ya research 'Ro. Well,
I named the dojo after the old fella, his name was Tsukuri or at least that's
what he was called. The guy was a sensei to me fer nine years, I only
thought it would be fittin'."
"Interesting." Ororo said nodding her head and reaching to take another sip
of her water.
"Yeah. But i'm sure there are much more interesting things..." Logan said
moving from the sink to the counter toward Ororo.
She smiled at him, slyly. "More interesting things. Such as what
Logan?"
"Such as you." He was now directly across the kitchen counter from her
giving her a hard gaze.
"Me? Whatever could be interesting about me?" Ororo said slowly trying to
hide the slight tremble in her voice. Her face stayed solid but she knew
her nervousness was evident in her eyes that Logan refused to turn away
from. What did he think he knew about her? Did he in fact know who she was?
Who she had been? She saw how his nostrils flared at her when she spoke.
Trying to sniff out a lie was he? Absurd.
"Well fer starters you can tell me where did you learn how to cook." Logan
motioned to the empty box of brownie mix on the counter that Ororo had
picked up from the neighborhood market on the way to his apartment.
Ororo released a sigh of relief along with a small laugh. "Bake. I cannot
actually cook. I just bake. And that was learned from a long experience of
trial and error."
"Trial and error? So I'm guessing you perfected ya skills." He said as she
began to vigorously stir the bowl of brownie batter.
"Brownies are my specialty. I follow a simple baking method that I've
created. I call it the 5-5-500 plan."
"That's a lot of numbers for a simple baking method."
"No, not at all Logan. It's really quite simple. Five minutes to prepare."
Ororo said while motioning to the batter she was stirring with even more
vigor. "Five minutes to bake all at an oven temperature of five-hundred
degrees. Hence, the 5-5-500 plan." She said with a quick wink and proud
smile.
"Darlin' yer 5-5-500 plan sounds more like a 9-1-1 call for attempted
arson." Logan said with a full on laugh that lead Ororo to smile brightly
and shake her head in disagreement.
"I assure you Logan I have yet to burn a batch of brownies or anything for
that matter while using this method. Just take a look at my building, its
still standing. I am sure your apartment will survive a batch without
casualty." Ororo said with a slight mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
"Hope so 'Ro. I just renewed the lease on tha place." Logan teased.
"So have ya decided what yer gonna do with that building since setting it a
blaze is out of the question fer ya?"
Ororo looked at him giving a heavily exaggerated sigh. "Oh no, don't tell me
you're about to turn all Moira on me?"
Logan looked at her confused.
"Moira asks me that same question almost everyday. One would think that she
owned the building herself from the constant curiosity of what I will
eventually do with it."
Logan couldn't help but laugh. "So ya still haven't made any decisions yet?"
"No, Logan, I honestly don't know what I would like to do with the building.
But I am thinking anything and everything is a possibility. For right
now its home, and I’m happy with that." Ororo ended with a warm smile.
"Home sounds like a very good plan ta me 'Ro."
"Thank you, Logan."
He smiled at her, his eyes suddenly taking notice of the scribbled scrawls
on the folded brown paper bag the brownie batter had come in. It was tucked
almost discreetly underneath the box next to Ororo's left arm. Reaching
across the counter for it his hands grazed the soft skin of her forearms.
Ororo's eyes lowered soaking in the feel of the brief pleasurable contact
of his fingers. The moment did not last long, eyes snapping open, realizing
what Logan was reaching for and now currently had in his possession. Her
eyes widened in horror and embarrassment as he began unfolding the paper bag.
Ororo averted her eyes from him, finding renewed interest in stirring the
brownie batter. But she couldn't help risking a glace at Logan's reaction.
His lips formed an amused grin, eyes peeking over the top of the paper bag.
"Did you do this 'Ro?" Logan turned the paper to her that held a hastily
drawn sketch of him.
She bit the inside of her cheeks in an attempt to stop the sudden blush that
was beginning to creep on her face. Nodding her head in a silent reply.
"This is pretty damn good 'Ro."
"Well, I had an interesting subject to work with." She created the sketch while he was occupied with getting dinner started. Beginning with a side profile of him capturing his ruggedly handsome facial features his dark brows furrowed in concentration at his task. There were the black tufts of his hair on his head that led down to form the thick soft wisps of side burns on his face. At least she thought they were soft. What she would have given at the moment to find out. To touch under the shirt that clung to the well defined muscles of his back moving down to his sleek narrowed torso meeting those jeans. She had licked her lips thinking about those jeans and how he wore them like a God. Watching Logan work his way around the kitchen was like poetry in motion. His body so fluid and at ease. Ororo had felt compelled to capture that image of him with her all to impromptu pen and brown paper bag sketch work.
“Ya don’t say?” Logan now ogling her with sudden lust filled eyes
“It is nothing really Logan, just a little doodling I do.” Ororo said shyly, grabbing the sketch, folding it, and placing it back under the box.
“Nah, ‘Ro, that more than just some doodling. If you can make me look like that on paper…hell I’d call that art. How about next time we go for a full frontal sketch?” his tone was mix between playful and seriousness. Ororo could see that his eyes reflected more seriousness than playful from his comment. Her mouth dropped she didn’t know how to answer his question. Her brain felt numb yet her body tingled with desire. The pot boiling over on the stove caught her attention and saved her from any reply.
“It looks as if one of your own masterpieces is in trouble.” Ororo nodded to the green beans.
“Got it covered darlin’” Logan quickly turned the flame off. Turning back to look at Ororo who had finally finished stirring the batter and was now holding a semi-seductive gaze in competition with his fierce lustful one.
“The batter is ready to bake.” She said .
Logan was unrelenting to breaking her gaze. He slowly moved his hand toward the batter, his finger hovering over the bowl for a taste, a quick taste, the first taste.
THWACK!
Ororo had slapped his hand away quick and hard. Logan looked at her with shock as she raised her hands to her mouth surprised. “Oh my! Logan, I am so sorry. It was an instinctual reaction…I really didn’t mean--”
“It’s alright ‘Ro” Logan said rubbing the back of his hands quieting her apologies. “Really, its okay. Yer hands pack a lota power,” He licked his lips. “I like that.”
The blush was now uncontrollable. She knew the heat was quickly creeping to her cheeks on to her mocha colored skin. Logan had taken the baked potatoes out to pre-heat the oven to Ororo’s specifications. Five hundred degrees. After placing the baking sheet filled with soon to be delicious gooey brownies into the oven, Ororo turned from the stove to find Logan leaning against the kitchen counter leering at her. A soft smile spread across Ororo’s lips, noticing a chocolate smudge unbeknownst to Logan on his face. She walked over to him her own face inches from his, icy eyes filled with seduction her tongue peeked out from between her lips slowly licking the corner of Logan’s chocolate smudged mouth.
A pleasurable growl escaped from Logan’s chest. Ororo hesitantly pulled away from him.
“You just couldn’t resist having a taste could you?”
“Darlin’ with you I’m finding it difficult to resist not doing a lot of things.” A wolfish grin spread across Logan’s face. He quickly wrapped his arms around Ororo’s waist pulling her soft body against his hard chest. Within seconds she thought her body would burst into flames, his lips teased up along the nape of her neck, moving to caress her chin, his tongue finally finding entry into her mouth. The kiss was tender and heated both Ororo and Logan nipping at one another’s lips for a play of dominance.
Ororo was left breathless, heart racing, hands trembling with only one thing to say.
“Where’s your bathroom?”
Logan cocked his head, lost for words, pointed in the direction down the small hallway. An amused smile on Ororo’s lips that shone in her eyes she raised her hands to one side of Logan’s face. Her fingers running through his thick mutton chops. They were soft. She wasn’t surprised. Her fingers left good buried in them. Logan just felt good. No, he felt more than just good. For Ororo, Logan felt right. She slowly pulled away from him and walked down the hall to the bathroom.
Ororo closed the bathroom door, and leaned her back against it. She smiled from the thought of Logan’s touch. Her smile turned to a small laugh. The small laugh became a full on giggle. Ororo for one of the first times she could remember began giggling like a school girl. Her giggling abruptly stopped when she felt the same dull ache in her head from earlier in the evening. The pain was back assaulting her now in sharp spikes. Ororo placed her hands on her temples, rubbing her head in an attempt to alleviate the pain.
She moved toward the medicine cabinet over the bathroom sink to search for aspirin. The sharp painful spikes were followed by static in her head. A low buzz becoming louder. She opened the cabinet to find only an antique shaving blade. Grazing a finger over the blade, despite the pain her in her head she smiled. It appeared that Logan was an old fashion guy at heart. Her smile dropped as another attack of sharp pains spread from her temples down to settle behind her eyes. She closed the medicine cabinet. Her hands dropped from her head. Her next breath became stuck in her throat. She gasped at the reflection in the cabinet mirror. Raven hair. Deadly icy stare. Vindictive smile.
“Storm…” Ororo said the name through clenched teeth. The pain in her head was gone. The static whispers were now heard acidly clear.
::Well, well, well goddess. What do we have here?::
“Go away” Ororo said with a distinct strength of certainty in her voice
::Away? Now that would be rather rude of me. I’ve just arrived. ::
“Go away now”
::Now, now goddess it has been a long time. I thought perhaps we could you know, catch up on old times. ::
“Not long enough. Leave.”
::Make me.:: The taught a consuming harsh echo in the room.
Ororo stared at the reflection helpless
::I thought so, Goddess. Now, straight to the point. The man, is he a potential lover or friend? Either way it won’t end well.:: A predatory gleam clouded over the reflective icy stare.
Ororo’s eyes narrowed in response “He means nothing.”
::Then he shall make for easy prey.:: The reflection licking over the fronts of her teeth.
“Leave him.”
::You never were a good liar, goddess. So, the man does mean something to you.::
“He is a good man.”
::Yes, they all are. Aren’t they? That is until they betray you. Isn’t that right, goddess? You never did handle betrayal well. No matter, I shall end it before it starts. I always do.::
“No. I won’t let you. It’s not the answer. Not anymore. The killing. Death is not the answer.”
::I am always your answer. Death is the mother of beauty. I thought you would know and appreciate that goddess.::
“I’ve taken my life back. Now, leave me.”
::Oh, how the goddess has grown”::
“Don’t call me that! Don’t ever call me that. My name is Ororo Munroe. This is a new life. My new life. Just leave.” Her body began to tremble from the slight outburst.
::A new life? You don’t say. Well, tell me who is it that you’re going to turn to when this new life of yours turns to shit? Me. That’s who. When the betrayal and back stabbing starts and your veins crave the blood of vengeance. It is only I who can give it to you. Face it, I am your tourniquet. When your wounds and pains are exposed I am the bandage you seek.::
“I will make it work.” She said with determination in her eyes.
Ororo jumped at the knock on the door. “ ‘Ro, you okay in there? I think ya brownies are done.”
“I’m fine, Logan. I’ll be out to check on them in a second.” She turned her attention from the closed door back to the mirror.
::The “good man” I presume. Neither friend nor lover. Perhaps I will have to think of something new. How do we want to destroy him? The number we did on Yukio won’t do. And the and beautiful destruction done on Forge just doesn’t seem fitting. How would we go about killing a “good man”? Any ideas…goddess?::
The taunting and sinister laughter almost made Ororo’s emotions come undone. She could hear the rumbling of thunder in the distance. Her teeth clenched and eyes narrowed suppressing her rage. Ororo stared at the raven haired demon in the mirror and stated point blank:
“You can’t have him.”
::As if you can stop me. You were always too weak. I am your strength. You come on like a crippled play thing. Your spine is just a string. I am the power that runs through your veins. You like it too much to completely give it up.::
Ororo could hear her heart pounding in her ears and the blood in her body running cold. Her body convulsed with heavy panting and beads of sweat started to run down her face. Storm was slowly wining the battle over Ororo Munroe.
“NOOOO! Never again.” Ororo quickly opened the medicine cabinet and slammed it closed so hard that the mirror cracked.
“ ‘Ro? Are you okay in there? ‘Ro?” She could hear Logan banging on the door. “ ‘Ro, what happened? Open the door.” She heard the rattling of the doorknob from the locked door. Ororo knew she couldn’t allow Logan to enter the bathroom, not near her, not yet, not now.
“You will not control me again. Not ever!” Ororo opened up the shaving blade she took from the cabinet and pressed the sharp blade to the left arm of her soft flesh. “Whatever parts of you runs through my veins I will make certain that as much of it as possible is gone. Starting right now!”
She dragged the blade over her wrist. The blood fell from her veins into the sink and down the drain. The image of Storm faded from the mirror. Ororo squeezed as much blood from her left arm that was physically possible before her legs buckled and she fell to her knees on the bathroom floor. The sharp spiked pains and static whispers monetarily assaulted Ororo’s mind before retreating to a simple dull ache. Leaving behind the last words of Storm’s acid voice in Ororo’s brain:
Ororo gathered as much strength as possible to get back on her feet. She heard Logan attempting to kick in the door. Quickly she turned on the sink faucet and let the running water wash away whatever blood was left clinging to the porcelain.
“ ‘Ro, please, if you can hear me darlin’ open up the door.” Logan stopped the banging to see if he could hear anymore movement in the bathroom.
Ororo looked to the closed door. Her chest burned with pain and a bit of sorrow for his concern. She didn’t deserve it. Ororo took the blade to the bottom of her skirt and tore off enough to make a bandage for her arm. The banging on the door began again. It was only a matter of time before Logan broke down the door and made his way into the bathroom. It was simple. Logan didn’t deserve a monster. She was more than a monster. She was a demon. As much as she wanted to change it just never, somehow never completely worked out. The old wounds always holding her back. Haunting her. She was the angle with the scabbed wings.
The splintered wood from the bathroom door went flying everywhere. And as quick as the wind Ororo passed by Logan going almost unnoticed out the front door of his apartment. Logan followed the breeze from the recently empty bathroom, outside to his opened apartment door. He ran through the front door of the building, looking up and down the vacant evening streets. There was no sign of Ororo on the streets. However, in the night sky, Ororo made her way home on the evening winds with a hurt heart and a bandage arm. It was for the best she thought. Logan didn’t deserve to be destroyed by her demons.
Logan stood outside of his apartment building reluctant to go back inside, hoping that Ororo would come back. He slowly made his way to the front door before stopping and sniffing the air. There was smoking coming from his apartment. Logan agitated, with a deep sigh racked his hand through his wild hair.
He realized the brownies were still in the oven. The damn brownies had burned.
“Fuck.”
A/N: Reviews are always welcomed with open arms and big wet sloppy kisses
