She was sat with Hank in the rec room, the tv on loud and the kids sprawled out on every seat. Some reading some watching the Christmas cartoon specials, his vest was getting sticky and he needed a shower badly but he wanted to talk to Marie first. Her foot was propped up against Hank and he bent down to her before she had time to recognise who it was. Kissing her deeply she just moaned into his mouth and he felt himself rise to her touch. Breaking the kiss he heard Hank stifle a chuckle as Marie touched him, “Morning handsome,” looking at his vest she wrinkled her nose and pulled at the brown marks drying on it. “Found our lunch then?” Logan noticed Hank’s ear twitch as food was mentioned.
“Yeah we’re having Elk.”
“Elk?”
“Big deer.”
“Oh, right.” The feel of her hair against his skin was wonderful and she looked up into his eyes, seeing there was something bothering him she pushed. “What’s wrong?” He was quiet for a second as he thought about what Jubilee had said, his eyes ran over the kids in the rec room. They seemed restless, fractious almost, each one lost to themselves even in the groups they were sat in.
“Do you feel okay?” Marie blinked at the statement and looked at him unsure what he was trying to get at. “I mean do you feel okay with all this,” his hands waved at the decorations and the tree in the corner, understanding what he was trying to ask she answered.
“Yeah, it was kind of weird the first year I was here but it was kind of special too. It was a nice time to be with everyone, it felt like home especially with The Professor here. He always made us feel welcome.” The realisation of what he was getting at hit her and she looked around at the kids her face picking up on the small groups that still didn’t look right.
“Jubilee been through here?” Marie just looked at him when he spoke.
“No why?” Letting her go he stood up and looked around the room before he answered her.
“She’s a bit upset, the kids had a huge argument in the kitchen when I came back, something about Father Christmas.” As if on cue, Paul walked into the rec room being followed by Jubilee her face angry and her tone carrying across the room.
“You had no right to do that Paul, Anne and Rebecca don’t have much as it is.” She grabbed his arm as the young man tried to twist away from her. “It wasn’t fair and you know it.” Paul rounded on her and bit out at her.
“What would you know about it anyway? You’re not exactly ‘poster girl’ for mutant integration are you?” They could all see the pain flash through her eyes as he continued, “You’re not even bright enough to know when you’re being stupid. They have to learn sometime that the world is cruel to people like us, better they learn it now than later.” Logan’s eyes narrowed as he watched Jubilee crumple inside, Marie was already making her way over. Her hands clenched and her body stiff as she walked over. Paul just turned to look at her and sneered, his comment low enough for only Jubilee and Marie to hear but he didn’t know that Logan could hear him too. “Well if it isn’t our little mother, got something to add?” Moving closer to the small group he saw Marie’s hand pull back and slap Paul across the face. The sound rang out across the room, her voice quiet and low as she answered him.
“That I may be Paul,” almost spitting out his name “But one thing I ain’t is as dumb as you are if you think what your saying is true. There’s plenty of people out there who feel just the same as we do and it don’t matter to them whether you’re a mutant or not.” She looked him up and down as he twisted out of Jubilee’s grip on him and touched the red mark on his face. “Just because you’re brighter than us don’t make you any more smart when it comes to everyone else. Fact is even Logan’s better at figuring things out than you, at least he lets himself ‘have’ feelings. When was the last time you felt one huh?” Paul cast them all a dark look and stormed out of the room, barging past Bobby and Kurt as they entered the Rec room.
“What’s got into Paul?” Bobby’s eyes took in the scene and Kurt went over to a group of silently crying children. It was turning into a great Christmas.
Marie stood holding Jubilee gently stroking her friends arm, talking to her quietly. She shot him a look and he just nodded as they both walked away from the room. Bobby started a foosball tournament on the table and managed to rope in the kids who’d been watching the fight. Logan watched Bobby’s easy manner with them he joked as they played around, even put a thin layer of ice on the table so the ball slid better.
Turning to Hank he tapped him lightly on the shoulder, gaining his attention. “So tell me about Father Christmas.” The serious look on his face was enough to assure Hank that he wasn’t making fun of him. There were gaps in his memory, BIG gaps and the whole Yuletide season was one of them, maybe that was why he always avoided it.
Now his curiosity wanted to know why the whole thing was causing so much trouble. Hank moved so he could sit down on the sofa and Logan just climbed over the back, sitting comfortably in the leather folds. Clearing his throat Hank began, “The whole thing was a pagan tradition many years ago, it started with a midwinter festival, to bring the sun back to life. They’d celebrate together as a tribe or large group. The druids of England still do it every year, although many of the Wiccan religion do too. The main figure we see is the figure that Charles Dickens brought to life in ‘A Christmas Carol’.” Logan stopped listening for a moment and remembered a half-seen image of a huge man dressed in green and had a bunch of candles on his head. Seeing Logan thinking he picked up the remote and flicked around the channels until he hit on the channel he wanted. “Yes there he is look, that’s the image we have of the original Father Christmas." The screen showed a large actor dressed in what looked like an old green velvet curtain wrapped round the middle with a huge leather belt. His face was red and his voice boomed out across the screen and Ebeneezer had the good grace to be frightened by him. Feeling drawn into the scene he just sat in silence and watched it, not even noticing Anne flop near his head and sigh, “Oh no, not that again!” She waltzed off to find something more exciting to do. The scene changed from the ghost of Christmas Present to the Ghost of Future and Hank switched it off. “That’s the Father Christmas we have in our hearts, when we think of him. The red and white Santa Claus is another matter all together. He was a marketing opportunity for Coca-Cola. Not a real Father Christmas at all.” Logan took it all in and looked around the room and finding who he wanted to talk to, he made a beeline.
“Thanks Hank.”
Anne was sitting in the window seat looking at the snow coming down when she caught his movement out of the corner of her eye. She visibly paled when she saw it was him, hearing her heart speed up. He kept a couple of feet between them both. “Hey kid,” Anne lifted her gaze to his face and tried not to show her fear.
“H… hey.” He crouched down so their eyes were level and he didn’t seem that much of a threat. He could see her skin flushing and he realised as he caught a drift of scent that it wasn’t fear making her blush, stifling a smile he decided to make this short.
“What did that idiot say to you?” His voice was flat but his eyes caught hers and she could see he wanted to know the truth. He heard her gulp and she licked her lips nervously.
“He told Rebecca that there was no Father Christmas for Mutants, no one cares enough for there to be one.” Her voice cracked a little as she told him and he felt himself holding a snarl down as she carried on. “Rebecca’s only ten, she’s never been away from home before at Christmas you know and we were talking about the times we’d gone to the mall, you know to see the store Santa’s.” Her eyes flicked to the cold outside and he felt her nerves fade and a pain replace them instead. “He just said there wasn’t any point in us going, no-one would want a mutant on their knee anyway, especially not Santa if he even existed.” Her eyes met his and they burned with hatred, something that bit down deep inside her and it hurt him to see it in someone so young. “I know he doesn’t exist but he didn’t have to hurt Rebecca.” She turned her head away from him and he could smell the tears she was hiding. “I hate him.” He didn’t know what to say to that, so he just left her sat in the window seat, watching the snow come down. Pulling himself back up he walked back to Hank a question on his mind.
Flopping back down on the couch he spoke his mind, “So who’s Santa?” Hank didn’t bother turning from the tv to see him, “He was a Saint, Saint Nicholas patron saint of Children he was written into the myth around 400 years ago. But he’s not Father Christmas although the two have become interchangeable in the modern world, something I find a little sad.” Taking the remote from Hanks hands he switched the tv off again, Hank sighed and turned his full attention to Logan, noticing how much like a child he could be when he had a bee in his bonnet.
“You have Paul in your class, what do you think of him?” Hank thought about his answer before he spoke.
“Paul is very intelligent and he has a gift for electronics, he can communicate directly with them, literally talk to a computer with his mind. But he does have a few problems adjusting to others, his mind works so quickly you see. Scott even gives him extra classes to keep him busy, I think he’s been touching on Quantum theory this semester.” Logan thought back to the rosta he’d drawn up for the patrols with Peiter and couldn’t remember seeing his name on any of them.
“How long he been here?”
“About six months, why?”
“How many times has he been outside with the rest of the kids?” Hank looked at him oddly and then sat up in the sofa.
“I’d have to check his file to find out.” Logan’s eyes met his and he saw the question lodged in them.
“I think you’d better check his file, see where he comes from and why he’s never been on any patrol lists even though he’s old enough and should’ve been on them. I want to know a little more about our Paul.” Hank just nodded and got up from the sofa, leaving Logan feeling a little lost and hungry. When all else failed to please him, there was always food. The thought of seeing Marie in the kitchen fed that idea too. Smiling he left the kids to the tv and foosball, he had other things to think about.
The kitchen was a mess, several tubs of ice cream were open and the blender had been used, fruit peel was strewn on the counter-top. A couple of very full women were sat finishing off whatever it was they’d been eating. Ororo, Jubilee and Marie were sat there grinning like idiots, walking into the kitchen he got a smouldering look from Ororo and a small smile. “Nice to see you had the time to dress Logan,” her frankness sometimes surprised him and Jubilee almost choked on her last mouthful as she heard the comment come out of Storms mouth.
“Yeah well.” He leaned against the island and looked at the remains in front of him. “Feeling better?” His eyes meeting both Jubilee’s and Marie’s, Marie answered first, planting a chocolate orange tasting kiss on his lips. Savouring the taste he licked it away, seeing Ororo smile even more.
“What have you been upto in here? Apart from decimating the ice cream, I can hear your minds plotting something. What is it?” Marie looked innocently at him and he knew he was in trouble, especially when she twisted her hair around her fingers and pouted at him. Knowing the effect it had on him he adjusted his body so it wouldn’t be so obvious to the rest of them. Growling softly he just snapped it out, “Come on what is it? You want me to do something so spit it out.” Marie looked disappointed when he didn’t react the way she thought he would but Ororo’s glance around the island reassured her it had. Smiling she answered him.
“Well we were thinking about what Paul had said to Anne and Rebecca, you know about there not being a Santa Claus.” He held up his finger and stopped her.
“Don’t you mean Father Christmas?” She just continued ignoring his comment.
“Well we thought it would be nice if there could be one for the kids here tonight, someone to put presents in their rooms you know, someone who could sneak around the mansion without being heard….” She let her look bore into him and he realised what she was getting at. She wanted him to dress up as SANTA!
Her sweet little smile ended at her eyes where the mischief began, he’d rather be dead than get caught creeping around the mansion with a sack of toys sneaking into children’s bedrooms. It just wasn’t something he could see himself doing, not in a million years, not even for Marie.
Looking at their expectant faces he realised they’d already planned it and were getting Marie to get him to agree to it. She batted her eyelashes at him when she realised he’d worked it out, damn the women were sneaky, he was glad that Scott wasn’t here to see this. Growling under his breath and realising if he didn’t do this Marie would never let him forget it.
“Okay but I’m not doing SANTA, Ghost Of Christmas Present yes, but NOT Santa!”
With that he left them to their ice cream and grabbed a hunk of cheese from the fridge, along with a plate of cold meat. Three confused faces looked back at him and he realised they didn’t know what he was talking about.
“Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens?” The trio of faces slowly worked it out between them and a sly grin spread across Ororo’s face as she spoke.
“You’ve seen it I assume?” He just nodded as he ate the meat and cheese. “Then you have no objection to the costume? Or that you’ll be giving out gifts to all the children here this evening?” His eyes met Ororo’s and he saw a flicker of amusement in them, he’d better be careful here.
“Yeah as long as I’m not the only one in costume,” he looked pointedly at Marie and Jubilee. “I could do with a couple of helpers.” Before they had time to complain Ororo spoke.
“Agreed then we’ll come get you around 8pm after dinner? I assume you’ll be doing your stint on duty tonight?” Looking at the rosta he found his own name on there for the grounds until 8pm, checking his watch it was nearly time for his shift to start.
“Sure okay.” Ororo smiled wickedly and bent Marie’s ear to hers and whispered in it, Marie quickly told Jubilee who almost dropped her glass on the table top. His eyes speared them through and he looked for any sign of deceit in their scents but he couldn’t find any. Shrugging he finished off the plate and stacked it in the sink, he had other things to think about and walked out of the kitchen.
When he was out of earshot Marie turned to her co-conspirators and tried to get the grin off her face. “Oh man, if he knew what he was letting himself in for, he never would’ve said yes.” Ororo just patted her arm and smiled
“That is true but we’re not the ones who have to sleep with him tonight.” Leaving Marie with that thought she slid off her stool and went out of the kitchen, Jubilee slightly panicked by the realisation that Marie was pregnant and could be the brunt of Logan’s anger.
“He wouldn’t would he?” Marie brushed off the question easily with a toss of her head.
“Of course he wouldn’t. He loves me Jubes, he’d never hurt me. Snarl a bit sure but never hurt me.” All she could think of was what he’d look like in the costume and hoped her hormones would allow her to stand near him dressed like that without touching him. Sighing she turned to Jubilee and motioned to the dishes. “Come on you stack, I’ll rack.”
Bah Humbug
The cool night was worth the hassle of being roped into Christmas, breath fogging up as he covered the grounds Logan just let his mind catch up with everything that had gone on since the death of Jean. He still missed her but not in the same way as he thought he would, it wasn’t the stolen glances or sight of Scott getting is blood pressure to new heights. It was the simple little things, like walking into the medical bay and seeing her there, her smile as she’d walk into a room and see her family in front of her. Those were the things he missed the most, the safety she’d brought to his world. He’d been attracted to her sure, who wouldn’t be? But she’d been attached and there was no way in hell that she’d ever change her mind about who was the most important to her. It had taken her death for him to see that in her eyes, she chose and in doing so had left him alone with the truth. That he was Marie’s and always had been, she’d known ever since Liberty Island, when she’d felt Marie die and the grief that had torn him apart. Even in the Blackbird when she’d been sucked out, she’d felt his rage as he’d realised he couldn’t help her, luckily Kurt could and did. Stopping for a moment he realised he’d never thanked him for that, never said thanks for saving his life too. Remembering how she’d looked wrapped up in his arms had almost been worth the pain but part of him knew then that she was his. He’d just crushed it down and finished the job with Stryker, he’d left his past behind him sure but it didn’t really have much meaning to him if he was always alone.
Standing in the cold air he felt the wind caress his face and he let his thoughts of Jean float away into the night, into the darkness where they belonged. Turning his head toward the mansion he looked at the new security system that Scott had been putting together, when it was operational it would cover the entire grounds. The motion sensors would track everything for a mile radius around the house, giving them plenty of time to organise an escape for the kids. Looking at the main doors he saw Peiter come out dressed in his long coat and gloves, checking the front porch as he always did before setting out on his rounds. The door opened behind him and Damask slid out into the cold and hugged him from behind. He watched them for a second before he left them alone, Peiter was a deep man and he needed a purpose in life. He’d come to the School to learn control and had found a home here, now he’d found someone who could soften the edges of him a little. Moving toward the kitchen door across the snowy field he heard the soft footfalls behind him, slow and sure. Keeping still he let his nose pick up the scent’s around, the wind was behind him and brought a warm doggy smell mixed with dried blood. Turning slowly the wolf only shifted slightly as his eyes met the calm gaze directed at him, blood was still visible around its head and chest. It just stood there weighing him up, appraising him with its amber stare. The eyes reminding him of Hank but the stance was all his, a second wolf trotted out from the woods and he didn’t need telling who it was. Turning the wolf just flicked it’s ears and it retreated back into the dark line of trees, giving him a last look the wolf turned away. Trotting home to the forest, it stopped once to send him a look over it’s shoulder, one he recognised as it’s jaw hung open and ran back to the safety of the trees. The joy in it’s movements obvious as it disappeared from view, the sound of playful yapping reaching his ears and making him smile as he made his way back to the warmth of his own pack.
Kurt was in the kitchen peeling potatoes when he walked in, knocking the snow off his boots his nose picking up the dinner still waiting for him in the oven. Walking straight over and opening the door, plucking out his still warm dinner, picking up a fork he set to with abandon, noticing Kurt’s eyes watching him as he ate. “Spill it Kurt, what have those three witches got me into now?” Seeing his tail lash from side to side nervously as he debated telling him what he’d seen Ororo sewing this afternoon with Jubilee. Logan pierced him through as he picked up the chicken leg and bit into the still warm meat, knowing that Kurt could see his own body in the hands and mouth of the Wolverine. Putting the last of the peeled potatoes in water he carried them to the fridge and placed them carefully inside. Logan’s eyes never left him making his skin crawl with their intensity and he saw Kurt reach for the small crooked cross that was always at his waistcoat. “Kurt?” His voice was even but there was a slight edge of menace to it and he understood the nerves Kurt showed him when he turned around.
“I’m sorry Logan I just can’t.” He bamfed away leaving the air a little tainted with his distinctive smell. Finishing his plate he took it to the sink and saw a small piece of green cloth on the floor, it was decorated with a sparkling cover of silver and it smelled of Ororo. Smiling he thanked Kurt, he couldn’t tell him but he could show him, “Thanks for the heads up Kurt.” Leaving his plate in the sink he went to find Marie.
The scent of burning wax drew him to the rec room, the doors were closed and he could hear excited voices behind the door, Jubilee to be precise. “Oh god he’d going to freak when he sees this, I’m sure he’s just going to go ape.” Listening to the conversation his hand just resting on the doorknob, Ororo’s rich tones answered. “Oh don’t worry Jubilee, I’m sure he’ll ‘rise’ to the occasion, it’s only once a year after all and the children are feeling a little down. What else can we do, it’s not as if we can take them all to the mall is it? Not after your last trip.” The smile on his lips faltered as he remembered the Mall trip and the subsequent arrests that had been made. He could hear Jubilee’s intake of breath as she answered and smelled her distress.
“Yeah I know, doesn’t make it any less sucky if he won’t do it. I mean he didn’t even know what he was getting himself into.” That peaked his interest, Ororo’s rich tone filled the room. “Don’t worry about it Jubilee I’m sure he’ll be fine and you look wonderful too. I’m glad I kept those old dresses from the play,” he could sense Ororo’s impatience. “He really should be here by now. Marie do you want to go and find him?” He picked up Marie’s rich scent as she moved.
“I don’t need to.” Ororo spoke again.
“Why is that?”
“He’s outside the door listening.” Busted he walked into the Rec room, it was transformed, the foosball table had gone, as had the pool table. The large tv was covered by a huge dark cloth and a throne like chair was sat in front of it. The whole room had been decorated candles littered every available non- flammable surface. Presents were stacked against the chair, carefully labelled and stacked in size and order. It looked amazing and he whistled appreciatively, the chair looked like one from the conference room and was spread with a green cloth with what looked like a fur trim, breathing in the scent he confirmed it as fox fur.
Marie watched as he soaked it all in, the room had taken two hours to prepare, the woven ivy garlands criss-crossed the entire room, making the ceiling lower and the room darker. The candles they’d raided from the stores in the cellar, the costume Ororo and Jubilee had made as she’d been weaving the garlands. Brushing down her own costume she walked over to his side and slipped her arm through his. “You ready to do this?” His eyes met hers and she drew a breath sharply, they were glowing. Something she’d never seen before in his eyes was showing itself just to her and it fired a memory she knew wasn't hers but was just as important. Smiling she reached up and ran her fingers delicately down his face as she pulled him into a kiss. The heat pouring through her body as he pulled her into him, feeling the connection grow between them, seeing inside him for a split second. The vision of a wolf standing with it’s mate out against the snow and others in the background just waiting. The vision leaving her as he broke away but the light in his eyes was just as bright. Squeezing her in her dress he leered down her cleavage, feeling him rise against her as she breathed. “Guess a I owe you $5.” Jubilee’s voice split through the moment, bringing them both back to the here and now. He grinned wolfishly at Jubilee who was dressed in a similar costume but one that was all gold even here she had to stick to yellow. Her own dress was a deep emerald with dark midnight blue touches here and there. Ororo was dressed in pure white and he had to admit he almost drooled at the sight of her curves poured into that dress.
“You’re going to give Kurt something to confess in that outfit,” his voice deepened by his arousal. Ororo just laughed and walked to the chair picking up what he’d thought was the cover. She held it up for him to see, it was a simple robe, trimmed in fur, the belt was one of his own. There were no ties on it the sleeves were long and trimmed with the same fur as the collar. A wreath was left on the chair and he saw Ororo pick it up and walk over with the two items. Her eyes were alive with mirth as she handed them to him, the silver sparkling over the dark green material reminding him of the snow outside. The crown wreath even had two points on it to match his hair, quirking an eyebrow he looked at Marie who just smiled. “Your idea huh?” She playfully slapped him as she slipped out of his grip, “Get dressed you big lunk.” Grabbing the coat he began to shrug it on over his clothes that was until Ororo stopped him.
“Oh no Logan, if your going to do this you do this properly.” His eyes met hers and he looked confused for a second then the image from A Christmas Carol shot through his mind. He’d be bared chested, the coat open enough for his skin to be shown, the rest of the coat wrapped around his legs. Smiling he shrugged it back off and took off his coat and shirts, listening to the little intake of breath from the women in front of him and he couldn’t help but feel his ego swell a little. With women like this around it was hard not to feel the cock of the walk.
Bare chested he reached out for the robe but Ororo didn’t let him have it, she just smiled and looked at his legs and feet, her own brows lifted as he realised. “Oh no, that’s it,” snatching the robe from her grasp he slid it over his bare skin, the velvet feeling like an all over caress. “I’m not being buck naked under this thing while kids troop through. I think they had enough of seeing my backside the other day.” Ororo tried to stifle a laugh as Jubilee just let her mind speak for her, “Yeah that’s a sight to remember, pure Hallmark.” Logan shot a look and Jubilee realised she’d said it out loud to the room not just in her head face going bright red, Marie just laughing. Jubilee recovered enough to defend herself, “Well I was just there, it wasn’t as if there was anywhere else to look.” Leaving it at that she went to rearrange the presents again, her skirts swishing as she walked. Smiling at him Marie went and helped her friend get over the embarrassment of wanting to jump her best friends boyfriend. They both knew he had something that the women of the school either loved or hated, although most of them loved him. All he had to do was walk into a room with no shirt and soon every female eye would be checking him out. As if it was his own private harem and they were all willing candidates but he’d never flirted with anyone or made a move on anyone but Jean and now Marie. They could dream all they wanted but they’d never be allowed to touch him.
Pulling the robe on and tying the belt around him Ororo helped him to arrange the folds so they sat naturally, the wreath she gently moved around until it sat straight and true. Happy with her work she called, “Girls, have a look.” The looks that covered their faces were absolutely priceless, Jubilee just stared and he could hear her heartbeat speed up from here and the blush she already had deepened. Marie just slowly dragged her eyes over him, as if she were touching him with her hands. The look of want that crossed her features was something he’d never forget and if the tightness in his trousers was anything to go by it wouldn’t be long until he saw it again. Jubilee just gripped the box in her hands until Marie nudged her “You’ll break it if you squeeze it any harder.” The comment making him laugh out loud, filling the air with its rich deep sound, the sound of Christmas. Jubilee just blushed even harder and sat on the small stool next to the chair, trying to ignore her hormones.
Turning to Ororo he saw her rich smile he just winked at her as he took his place in the chair, rearranging the folds so his boots were covered by the material. Looking down at a furiously red Jubilee he just smiled, “How are we doing this then?” Jubilee flicked her eyes up to his, seeing the amusement in them and couldn’t help but smile in return.
“Storms going to collect the kids a room at a time, starting with the younger kids.”
The clock had struck ten before the first group of kids had been led in by Ororo, all he had to do was look imposing and hand them a present. It sounded so easy but things never go to plan the way they should, several of the kids wouldn’t even come in the door when they found out who it was. Eventually Hank had led them in, mostly hiding behind his large furry body. The older kids weren’t such a problem, even Anne was surprised and smiling when she took her gift from his hands. Her eyes meeting his for a moment and seeing a silent thank you for a sweet memory he knew she’d treasure. He winked just for her and saw her blush as she moved out of the way for the next recipient.
Soon all the kids were back in bed and the clock had chimed eleven, Ororo and Kurt were in the kitchen getting everything ready for the dinner tomorrow with Bobby, Jubilee and Damask. There were only a few gifts left to hand out, some would have to wait until their owners returned from other countries but there was one he wanted to deliver in a way that only he could. Hank had been and told him what he’d found out about Paul, also about the plans that had been in progress before the Professor had had to leave. A smile had crept across his eyes as he’d considered something. He outlined his plan to Marie who just grinned and raced off to the kitchen to inform everyone and to bring the errant recipient.
Paul had had a crappy holiday so far, the computer linkage he’d been promised hadn’t materialised with Cyclops being away and he’d felt more out of place everyday. Rubbing his eyes he was so tired but no matter how much he slept it never seemed to go away. He could feel his mind calculating, working out problems that he’d seen in the day, throwing up the answers in bright bursts of light behind his eyes. As if his head was a huge computer linked into everything else around him. He could even feel the electricity running through the wires in his room. Sighing he collapsed on his bed and waited for sleep to hit him, the small light over it illuminating his text books laid next to him. Closing his eyes for a second he felt a moment of total peace descend on him, no longer feeling the wires humming or his brain picking up on everything with a computer inside it. Just peace.
Snapping his eyes open he was met by darkness, flicking his lamp a couple of times he found the power was off. Going to the window he saw the lights were off in the grounds, if the lights were off there had to be a problem downstairs. Throwing open the door he bolted downstairs expecting to see others but he didn’t see anyone. No one at all, fear pinched his chest and he felt his heart move up into his mouth as he came down the stairs. There was one light in the whole corridor and it was under the Rec room door. Someone was stood just in front of the doors on the other side, he could see their feet as they moved away from them.
Moving cautiously he approached the doors and opened one, sliding his head around it seeing the room had been changed. His eyes searching for the person he knew was in here, he couldn’t be alone here in the school could he? He shoved the thought down as absurd, they had to be somewhere. Picking up a candle in it’s holder he was about to leave when he heard someone. “Where do you think your going?” the voice was deep and he knew who it belonged to, Wolverine. He just froze, Rogue must have told him about what he’d said earlier because his tone was very very cold. Turning around he walked into the darkened room and went to where the sound was coming from. Unlit candles covered every surface, he knew there had been something going on but he’d made himself scarce.
Locking his door to the rest of the school, trying to keep his mind clear of the noise around him, of the generator buzzing in the basement, of Cerebro doing maintenance checks on itself. Walking closer he found the source of the sound, the light from the candle falling on the Wolverine sat on a huge chair in front of the tv, dressed in a sparkling green robe with a wreath on his head. If it wasn’t so surreal he’d have laughed but all he could feel was fear, he was alone with the Wolverine and he’d insulted his girlfriend earlier. “We missed you earlier. Marie knocked on your door more than once to try and get you.” His eyes glittered as they bored into him, flaying him open without even moving. Paul felt his throat tighten, “I didn’t hear her.”
He wasn’t lying, he hadn’t heard anyone. He saw the Wolverines eyes narrow as he leaned forward, his hands gripping the arms of the chair and breathing his scent in deeply as he looked at him. Wolverine looked like an old god, sat on his throne judging the soul of the person in front of him. He listened as he growled deep in his chest, feeling the reverberations in the air. “You upset her and I don’t like that, I don’t like that at all.” He got up then and leapt down from the chair landing just in front of him, it was all he could do to just stand there as the Wolverine just bored into him with his eyes.
Burning, opening the heart of him, seeing him as he really was, alone and afraid. He couldn’t take the stare any longer and he just collapsed inside, able to feel something that wasn’t electrical, wasn’t something else other than his own mind. His voice was small when he spoke, thick with emotion. “I didn’t mean to upset her, I just couldn’t hear her, there’s so many other things going on I sometimes get lost in them all.” Paul’s hands played with the wax that had run down the side of the candle his body screaming to him to run away but his legs refusing to move. He remembered his biology lessons, predators like it when you run.
Logan looked through the boy in front of him, barely sixteen but mentally aged by his power, fear was coming off him in waves but he didn’t move. He just stayed perfectly still except for his fingers which were saying exactly how nervous he felt. Grunting a little he moved away to the stack of presents and pulled out the small gift for him. Pushing it into his free hand he took the candle away from him watching as he just turned it over in his hands as if it was something he’d never seen before. “Aren’t you going to open it?” Looking straight through him Paul’s hands roved over the paper wrapping and he just sighed.
“No because I know what it is.” Logan quirked an eyebrow and Paul answered. “It’s a Palm Pilot, I can feel the circuitry. Cyclops was trying to keep it a surprise but I’ve known since he bought it.” The look of dejection was evident on his face and he just laid the present down on a table. “As if I need more stuff in my room.” Anger was bubbling upto the surface now and Logan couldn’t help but wonder why.
How could he do this to him? Cyclops knew he could feel the imprint of the circuit board with his mind, knew he didn’t want another piece of electronic equipment so why? His eyes found the label through the anger that was pouring through him, the present wasn’t even for him. It had been for Jean.
The image of Jean shot into his mind, the doctor who’d shut off everything non- essential in the lab whenever he came down so he could actually talk to her without distraction. Jean who’d told him he could call her by her first name, seeing as he spent so much time around Cyclops and her. Jean who’s residue was still in the Blackbird he’d felt her mind and the decision she’d made. That she’d sacrificed everything for the ones she’d loved, he’d cried alone in the cockpit for over and hour. No one had even known he was there until Cyclops and come to check on the diagnostic’s he’d been left to run. He didn’t know that Jean was still part of the plane and he wouldn’t understand either so he’d kept it to himself.
Anger burned up him again as he thought about the present in his hands, how could he just stand there and not know he’d given him Jean’s present? Grabbing the wrapped box shoving it back at Wolverine, his voice dripping with malice as he spoke, “Maybe you should learn to read, it isn’t even mine, it’s Jean’s.” Wolverines eyes burned through him when he met them and his voice wavered, “I mean Dr Grey’s.” Slowly Wolverine took the gift from his hand and placed it on the table, Paul watched the movements. His eyes never leaving the large hands and the blades he knew were underneath.
Logan almost choked when Paul called his bluff, biting down a smile he took the insult and just pulled the box out of his hands and put it on the table. He’d gone through at least five different emotions now if his scent was anything to go by. The kid had guts or he was hiding behind that ‘superior’ mind of his, time to find out. He reached out a heavy arm and put it on his shoulder, “Come on, we’ll find yours then. There’s not that many left.” He growled out the last bit of the sentence, “Not that you’d know, seeing as you didn’t bother to come down when Marie went for you.” He tightened his grip on his shoulder and felt the muscle give under his fingers and Paul tightened up, fear battling with the anger.
Paul watched in horror as the large green covered arm wrapped around his shoulder. The strong fingers gripped into his flesh pulling him toward the chair and the dark. The small light Wolverine held was moving and throwing weird shadows around the large room as he led him to the small pile of presents. It seemed absurd to his eyes, the Wolverine stood there looking through the presents, carefully reading each one and replacing it on the pile. Paul was watching him as he picked up the last one, hope blooming in his chest but seeing it dashed as the box was replaced on the pile. Confusion rode across Wolverine’s face as the truth hit Paul like a stone. He didn’t have one, there wasn’t a present for him. Pulling everything deep inside he closed the door on his feelings, allowing a steel to fill his heart and freeze it solid. His eyes blank he just watched Wolverine as he went to the large tree and fiddled with something on the branches.
He could feel Paul’s hopes rise and fall with each gift he looked at, he knew it wasn’t here in the pile. He’d moved it earlier into the tree. As the last present went down he could feel the disappointment rush through the boy, he was still a child inside, his gift had forced him to be something he wasn’t, a machine. Leaving him alone as he went to the tree he could feel the change in him, walking back the light from the candle hit his eyes and his mind recoiled from the look in them. He’d seen eyes like that before, Stryker’s eyes had looked like that when he’d seen him at Alkali Lake. Cold indifferent a machine to get the results he wanted, feelings weren’t useful so they’d been crushed down until he’d forgotten how to feel. Even when he’d put his claws in him he’d still been closed off, still denying his feelings. Logan was sure he wasn’t going to let this happen here. He just handed him the small gift.
The Wolverine dropped something into his hand, a small little package, it had his name on it. “Open it. It’s got your name on it.” The sarcasm was thick and he could feel the heat from him he was so close. Meeting his gaze he brought the small package up into the light and began to open it. The paper was wrapped tightly but it opened and a key and fob dropped out into his hand. It was a room key, his eyes snapped up to The Wolverine who just kept his glower and met his questioning gaze. “New room kid?” His voice wavered a little.
“I don’t know,” he opened his hand and showed him, feeling the rough fingers pick it up and turn it over and drop it back into his hand. Reaching under his robe he saw Wolverine pull out his own key to his room, offering it up to the one in Paul’s hand. The key’s were the same type, even the fob with it’s little ‘X’ in the middle. Confusion settled over him as Wolverine put his away.
Smiling at the reaction he put his key away, the kid was wondering what was going on, time to get the rest of them in on the act. “Come on lets find out what’s going on.” He grabbed Paul roughly and pulled him to the doors, he just hoped they’d had enough time to set things up.
Feeling the rough hand of Wolverine grab him and pull him toward the door he wanted to say something, that he didn’t understand either. He didn’t know what was going on but the look on Wolverine’s face didn’t look like he was upto anything but getting angry. So he let himself be taken out of the room and into a corridor of light. Candles were lining the entire hallway and stairway, their golden light making everything look beautiful. Wolverine didn’t stop to look at the beauty around him, he just pulled him up the stairs avoiding the candles with the long edge of his robe. Silence reigned as they walked down the halls toward the teachers wing. The candles were more spaced out here and the flames were still establishing themselves. They’d only just been lit. He was snapped out of his thoughts when Wolverine stopped in front of a door. “Open it.”
Shaking slightly he put the new key in the lock and twisted it. The door popped open and the room behind it was lit with candles everywhere, his eyes taking in the room. There were no power points in here, not even an overhead light, a small photosensitive cell was sending out an ambient glow that filled a corner of the room. Walking inside he ran his hands on the wall nearest to the door, trying to feel the cables he knew ran beneath it. But there was nothing there, nothing at all. Turning to the Wolverine, he could see him smiling, the light catching in his eyes and making them dance with something that wasn’t entirely human. “Merry Christmas kid.” Everything he’d said that day, about no-one caring enough, about no-one understanding about no-one wanting to know mutants came back at him.
The pain he’d been nurturing inside, been cradling since he was ten and had aced every test ever given to him. Been the brightest and best even though he’d been hated by everyone else, his mutation kicking in the middle of an exam. Being hounded for cheating, for changing his grades, for entering the school computer system without permission, for just being who he couldn’t help being, for being a mutant.
The first tear slipped out without him knowing and he saw Storm and Dr McCoy standing next to Wolverine. Their faces soft and smiling, hearing Dr McCoy tell him about the room, “The room is shielded from most of the electrical circuitry we have here. Using some of the technology we share with our beneficent government the Professor managed to do a deal for this room. We’ve managed to shield you from almost everything, your computer will still work in here but you’ll have to run a cable to the outside.” The tears were making it hard to see as the walls came down inside. Storm came in and wrapped her arms around him as he cried. “We know how hard it is for you Paul, the Professor and Cyclops have been trying to get it fully finished for you as there’s still a few things that need to be done. It was Wolverines idea that you have it now instead of waiting.” Paul looked up into Storms face and saw nothing but the truth in it. The rumble that came from Wolverine almost shook the doorframe.
“Yeah there’s only one humbug round here and that’s me.” Paul’s gaze found the Wolverine’s and the smile that was hidden inside them, winking quickly to him he turned and left him with Storm and Dr McCoy. Explaining how the systems worked in his new room and that could stay here tonight and move his things over tomorrow. His mind wasn’t on what was being said, it was on the figure walking away down the hall, his footsteps a little heavier than they needed to be. A Mutant Father Christmas, not the sugar sweet kind he grew up with, or the fake ones in the Malls. One that did what it could whenever it could, smiling he let himself be held for the first time in six months. Free to think without being drowned in data, looking around his new room noticing a little black book on his table. On it was a small piece of holly, wrapped around a pen, noticing his gaze Hank answered the question in his mind. “From Rogue, Jubilee and Wolverine. They just said sometimes it’s easier to write it than say it.” The tears clouded his vision again and he let Storm hold him as he cried, feeling her hands brush over his hair something he used to love before he’d come here and closed himself off. His voice so quiet they almost missed it, “Thank you.” Feeling the warm hand of Dr McCoy land on his back and pat it gently, he let himself feel wanted for the first time in years.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
The fun and frolics continue with our favourite Canadian playing 'The Ghost Of Christmas Present' and lets face it who wouldn't want Logan dressed in a velvet robe and nothing else....?