Xavier Institute
Auditorium
“This is the reason we train every day,” Xavier said, pointing to a large flat-panel screen that was showing the early morning battle between the X-Men and Sentinels. His gaze moved over the crowd of students seated in the fishbowl shaped auditorium, his face very serious. Beside him Scott Summers stood, clicking the projected screen images.
Several of the students leaned forward in awe, and others shrunk back in their seats, fear written all over their young faces.
“Nothin’ like an early morning’ pep talk,” Alison Blair muttered, looking at her nails, her feet propped against the seat in front of her.
Ororo who was seated beside her smiled, thinking much the same thing. Upon entering the auditorium she had automatically sought out Wolverine. He was seated on the stage behind the Professor, next to Jean. Ororo grit her teeth as Jean leaned over, saying something in his ear.
Surprised by her own response Ororo took a deep breath. She wasn’t the jealous type, so why be bothered by Wolverine and Jean. It would be better all around if she stayed away from him, anyway, she mused. He was dangerous, in more ways than one. After this morning Ororo knew in no uncertain terms that she was falling for him, and falling hard. That couldn’t happen. It was just too risky.
“These Sentinels, are a very real and dangerous threat.” Charles continued. “Combined with government actions against us, civil groups like the Friends of Humanity and Mutant activists like Magneto, being an X-Man is a difficult task, one that requires hard work, diligence and perseverance.” He paused taking a sip of water.
“Good leadership is the key to making the training and the team as dynamic as possible. With our ever growing student population the role of leader can be increasingly difficult and hard to manage. That is why I have decided to divide the X-Men into two teams.”
A hush fell over the student body, all eyes now on Xavier. Divide the team?
Scott looked taken aback, his head snapping towards the Professor. “Sir?”
Charles continued as if Scott hadn’t spoken. “A leader is someone who thinks quickly, acts with instinct and doesn’t question themselves. A good leader puts the team first, themselves second, and for her selfless acts and outstanding performance in the face of overwhelming odds, it is my great pleasure in announcing that Storm shall be taking leadership of the X-Men Black team.”
Ororo’s head jerked up. “What?” she said aloud.
“What?!” Jean cried from the stage.
“Storm, please come down here.” Xavier said.
Storm strode down the slanted aisle towards the stage, her teeth grinding in her effort not to cuss. Once she ascended the small set of stairs Charles took her hand, presenting her with a black pin shaped like a giant X, very similar to the red one Scott wore. The students applauded and Ororo glared.
*You manipulative…*
*Storm, such language.*
*I don’t want this.*
*But they need you.* There was finality in that message and Ororo frowned.
Turning back towards the students Xavier said, “I need the Senior and Junior members to stay, the rest of you can return to your classes, you will be notified via e-mail as to your team. Have a good day.”
Shuffling feet and murmurs as the students filed out of the auditorium, some casting Storm strange glances, others smiling in congratulations. Once most of the student body had cleared Xavier motioned the remaining students forward.
“Since Cyclops has seniority I will allow him to pick his core team first. I will divide the remaining students accordingly after both core‘s have been decided.”
“But, Professor,” Scott began.
“If you would rather, Storm can have first pick.”
Cyclops looked away, shoulders stiff. “Jean.” he said immediately. He paused, considering, then “Beast,” another pause. “Colossus, Iceman, and…um..” With great reluctance, “Wolverine.” With his decision made Cyclops excused himself, noticeably irritated over Xavier’s decision.
“All right, Storm, you may choose your core.”
“Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, Dazzler, Angel.”
Charles blinked at her rapid fire answer. “You are entitled to one more core member.”
“No. That’ll do.”
“No room for one more, eh, Stormy?”
Storm whirled around. It couldn’t be! Her heart skipped. But there he was, leaning casually against the back wall of the auditorium, sardonic smile on his sensual lips, arms crossed, dark shades concealing his devil red eyes, a lock of auburn hair falling across his forehead.
“GAMBIT!!”
Wolverine watched with black eyes as Ororo flew, literally, up the aisle, throwing herself into the arms of the tall stranger, who in turn swung her around, laughing. Then he kissed her, mouth covering hers in a kiss that rivaled the best movie kisses ever seen.
“Wow.” Ali said, fanning herself.
“Oh my goodness,” sighed Kitty.
“Yeah.” Grinned Bobby.
Wolverine didn’t realize he was growling until Jean nudged him, her eyes gloating. “Well, well, well, looks like Storm isn’t a hardcore lesbian after all.”
Wolverine didn’t respond, his glittering gaze locked on the other man, who still had his lips pressed against Storm’s.
“Gambit.” Ororo took a step back, still holding Gambit’s hands, her eyes dancing. “How?”
“Da Professor called Papa.”
Ororo spun around, her face radiating joy. “You?”
“Yes.” *You deserved the reward.*
Knowing it was blatant manipulation on his part, but too overjoyed to care, Ororo smiled. “Thank You.”
“Ahem. You wanna introduce the rest of us to tall, dark and ohmygod?” Ali asked.
“Oh, of course.” Ororo blushed. She introduced the team one at a time. When she was finished she said with a brilliant smile, “And this is Gambit.”
“Pleasure,” Gambit drawled in his smooth as silk voice, capturing Ali’s hand and kissing the inside of her wrist.
Wolverine looked at Storm to see how she would take her man’s blatant flirting, but to his surprise she was still grinning from ear to ear, her blue eyes the brightest he’d ever seen them. Not wanting to see anymore of the touching reunion he stalked towards the door.
“Wolverine, where are you going?” Jean called after him.
“Danger Room.” he growled. Then, turning he said, “Coming?”
Jean practically squealed with delight. She gave Storm a triumphant smile and jogged after Wolverine.
Ignoring the pang in her chest Ororo smiled up at Gambit.
“What a day for you Storm. You fight a squad of Sentinels, become captain of the misfit mutants and Mr. Yummy here shows up.” Ali said, plopping down on the stage, her legs dangling over the edge.
“Yes. A very productive day,” said Xavier.
Smiling wickedly Ororo said, “That’s right, I am a team leader now. My first order of the day: rest up boys and girls, because tonight we celebrate!”
“Man, why couldn’t I be on her team,” Bobby grumbled.
Danger Room
Locker room
Wolverine rode Jean hard. She writhed beneath him, her fingernails digging into his shoulders as he accelerated his pumping hips, increasing his already dangerous velocity. They were laying on the slate gray tiled floor, her skirt shoved to her waist, Wolverine thrusting between her milky thighs.
He growled deep and fierce as another image of Storm rose in his mind. He didn’t know why it had bothered him so much to see her touching another, it wasn’t like he had any claim over her. Though he wanted to. His brain had screamed, Mine! Mine! Mine! When he had seen the Cajun touch her. And that visual was now burned into his mind. Storm’s arms around the other man’s neck, her mouth pressed against his. Seeing her touching another man with that tender consideration, a man she obviously loved had snapped something in him, igniting the beast
Beneath him Jean whimpered, not with lust but out of fear. Wolverine was enraged, his jaw clenched tight. There was no tenderness in him, no consideration for her. It was almost as if he were fucking her as some sort of punishment, as revenge.
Jean turned her head, an angry tear rolling down her cheek. She meant nothing to him, she could see that now. Part of her had always known that. But she still wanted him, wanted him desperately. Not because she loved him, she knew her heart belonged to Scott, but because he so obviously wanted someone else. Jean Grey, the Golden Girl of the X-Men could not let that stand. She left men, they did not leave her! Wolverine was a conquest, a prize.
He was shuddering on top of her, finding release without giving her any. When he was done he stood, buttoning his pants and said, “Tell Scooter I said hi.”
Jean rolled onto her side, miserable. What had she done? Oh, Scott…
Suddenly the locker room doors opened and Ororo strolled in, wanting to grab her duffel bag before she and her team got ready for their night out. Her eyes immediately fell on Logan, still righting his clothes and a disheveled Jean trying to sit up on the floor.
Before Jean could veil it, a look of acute pain washed over her face, instead of feeling the smug satisfaction she had expected to feel at being caught with Wolverine, Jean actually felt ashamed. She looked away, her tear streaks revealed as she did.
Storm glanced at Logan who was looking at her with the smug satisfaction that was missing from Jean’s gaze. “Sorry.” She said, turning around. Her chest hurt. “I just need my duffel.”
Her black bag slid across the floor, bumping her ankles. She bent down, grabbed it and walked out without a backward glance. She ran into Scott in the hall, heading for the lockers.
“Hey, Scott. About the teams,” she began trying to stall him.
“Don’t start, Storm. I know you’re Xavier’s little pet.”
Storm shook her head, but said nothing more because the doors behind her opened and she heard Jean’s startled gasp.
“Scott…I..”
Wolverine stepped through the doors next, his grin feral. “Scooter.”
It only took a glance to know what had happened behind those still swinging doors. “Mother fucker!” Scott let loose an optic blast, slamming Wolverine into the wall.
“Scott!” Jean cried. “Stop!”
Wolverine shook himself, rising to his feet, holes burned through most of his clothing. “That the best ya got, One-eye?” -SNIKT-
“Stop it!” Jean screamed.
“Otta the way, Red.” Wolverine shoved her aside, lunging at Cyclops. Scott dodged, narrowly missing being sliced wide open.
“Enough!” Ororo's voice boomed like thunder. No wait, that was thunder.
Wolverine glanced up from his crouched position to see Storm’s eyes cloud over, glowing like white fire. “Stay out of it, Storm!”
She placed herself in front of Cyclops. “Both of you, knock it off.”
Wolverine snarled. “Move or I’ll go through ya.”
“I suggest you use a diff’rent tone when talking t’ my Stormy homme.”
The occupants of the hallway turned to see Gambit standing in the corridor, eyes glowing red behind dark glasses, a solitary playing card in his hand.
“Gambit!” Ororo said, followed by Wolverine’s muttered, “Fuck.”
“Whatchya gonna do, Cajun. Cut me with yer card?”
“Somt’in like dat. You all right, padnat?”
“Fine, Gambit. Let’s go.”
“Nice friends ya got dere, chere.” The three remaining hallway combatants heard him mutter as he and Storm walked away.
“They are not my friends,” came Storm’s hard reply.
“Scott,” Jean said softly, her head bowed.
“Save it, Jean.” He walked away.
Jean gave Wolverine an agonized look. “I love him,” she said quietly watching Scott walk away.
“Jeannie--”
“Don’t Wolverine. You have used me for the last time.”
“It was a mutual arrangement.”
Jean nodded. “I know. But now, I’m done. If you even so much as think about me naked I‘ll have the Professor peel your mind like a fruit.”
“Ya feel better, Jean. Being the one t’ leave?”
She flipped him the bird.
Later
“You’re not wearing that are you?”
Ororo looked at Ali. “Why? What’s wrong with it?”
Dazzler wrinkled her nose. “Nothin’ if you like looking like you’re a goody-goody.”
Ororo looked in her full length mirror. She was wearing a tan pair of pants and a dark red off the shoulder top with a pair of matching sandals.
“And you have a different suggestion?”
“For Club Hellfire, damn straight.” Ali grinned.
“Uh-huh. What would you suggest?”
Ali stood, circling Storm with a look of appraisal. “If I looked like you, well, let’s just say I wouldn’t be hiding behind baggy jeans and tank tops.” She lifted Storm’s thick hair, twisting it in her hands. “I saw you on the screen today. You are one badass chick. I would flaunt that. Don’t you agree, Yummy?”
“D’accord.” Gambit said from the bed, a devilish smile on his face. “Da Stormy I remember was much, much more feisty. And smiled a hell of a lot more den ya do now.”
“It has been awhile, Gambit.”
“Six years, padnat. Gambit not forget. We gonna talk, soon.” His gaze was serious despite the teasing tone.
“Okay, Ali.” A devilish smile of her own. “Make me bad.”
Downstairs
A sharp whistle pierced the living room and Wolverine looked up from the hockey game he was watching to see what the commotion was. When he saw what it was his beer slipped from his hand, slamming against the table and frothing over. “Jesus,” he picked it up, shaking the foam from his hands.
Ororo stood in the entry looking mind-bogglingly gorgeous. Her striking snow white hair was piled around her head in an intricate design, the ends, which were now blue, black and purple, were fanned out, framing her head in a multicolored halo. Her vivid blue eyes were outlined in black kohl, giving them a smoky bedroom look, and her full lips were lightly glossed, reflecting the light in an alluring pout. The outfit she wore revealed an abundance of creamy caramel skin. Her full breasts were pushed up by the lacings of her black and gray corset, the material tapering just above her navel, leaving her toned midriff bare to the low slung waist of her black leather pants. Large heeled black boots completed her look. Wolverine stared at her, finding his pants suddenly uncomfortably tight.
Silver bangles and black leather cuffs jangled on her arm as she pushed a stray lock of hair behind her pierced ears. He could hear her sultry laugh as she responded to Bobby’s whistle and Warren’s stumbling compliments.
“Looks good, don’ she.”
“Cajun.” Wolverine had smelled him approaching.
“Da name is Gambit.”
Wolverine slanted the man a narrow look. “Is there something’ I can do fer ya?”
“Stay away from Stormy.”
Wolverine’s lip curled. “Don’t worry, Gumbo. I ain’t gonna mess with yer girl.”
Surprisingly Gambit chuckled. “Stormy be a lot of t’ings to me, homme, but my girl ain’t one of dem.”
Wolverine jerked his head around.
Gambit’s eyes glowed. “I am very protective of my sister.”
“Sister?”
“Oui.”
A pause. “I ain’t never seen anyone kiss there sister like you kissed Storm.” Wolverine growled. Funny, but he couldn’t smell a lie on the Cajun.
“You know many people wit’ sisters dat look like Stormy?”
Wolverine snarled. Gambit laughed.
“We were raised toget’er. She’s my family.”
“Uh-huh. So, why the ‘brotherly’ warning?”
“You made her cry. You only get to do dat once.” Gambit walked away.
Wolverine watched Storm smile brightly as Gambit reached her side, watched her touch his cheek fondly. But he could smell no lust, no desire from either of them. Fuck, Fuck, Fuck. If he had just noticed that earlier instead of flying into a rage. Damn.
Alison and Kitty joined them at the door, Kitty’s arm around the blue elf. Wolverine watched as they left, Kitty waving goodbye to him over Kurt’s head. All he could think as he watched them go was, she had cried for him.
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