Title: Feral Attractions Part 4
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters presented in this work of fanfiction with the exception of Heather and Todd, the bartender. I make no money from this simple story and only slightly more from my day job.
AN: I have reformed some characters to fit this story and you may be surprised by or despised by what I've done but if you flame me for them, I'll just make s'mores.
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Feral Attractions
Part 4: This is... Jeopardy
"What do you think about this one?"
Ororo pushed against the blurred image and refocused her gaze once the magazine was in proper sight range. She was getting used to it by now, and she attempted to give serious consideration to the picture in question. Unfortunately, by now her heart was no longer in it. Still, she would offer her opinion of the simple emerald green strapless gown as she did not want to dull her best friend's excitement.
"I know how partial you are to green, but I think that one is much too dark."
Jean gave Ororo a sharp glance over the rim of her glasses. "It's supposed to be dark, Ro. It's emerald green."
Ororo allowed a tolerant smile. "I know that, but since the wedding will this spring would you not prefer something in a lighter tone."
Jean wrinkled her nose. "Ick. There is no way I'm having my bridesmaids wearing something weird like celery green."
"There are other shades besides celery, Jean. I am certain we could find something lovely."
"On second thought, celery would be great. After all, I do want to be the best looking woman there." Jean mused with a devilish smirk.
Jean was rewarded with a playful swat to the back of her head with the bridal magazine. "Owww." she complained. "What was that for?"
"For being evil." Ororo chuckled as she began flipping through the glossy color pages. She really should put more effort in helping her friend plan her wedding, she thought. 'It's not like your best friend gets married everyday, Ororo. Surely you can try harder to help her. Besides you are the maid of Honor so it's up to you to at least attempt to make certain no one had to wear any shade of green.'
"C'mon it wouldn't be so bad." Jean continued, a teasing gleam lighting her green eyes. "I could get you guys some of those big ruffled dresses with all the lace and puffy bows."
"Not funny, Jean." Ororo retorted with open amusement.
"And maybe, some of those big ole' flimsy hats with flowers on top."
"I suppose you plan on going down the aisle in a body cast then, Jean." Ororo suggested a little distracted as she cocked her head at a lovely gown in pale lavender. "Have you considered using a different color family?" she asked, tapping her neatly shaped nail against the photo.
"I don't know, Ro." Jean said warily, after giving the photo a cursory glance. "That color would go really good with your hair, but I have my heart set on green. I always pictured my bridesmaids in long flowing green dresses." she said, with a little dreamy sigh.
Set in her ways as usual, Ororo had known all along Jean wouldn't budge, but for some reason she still hoped she would. She could feel her patience growing thin as Jean seemed to completely veto every suggestion she'd ever made. It grated on her nerves that Jean would ask for her help in planning her wedding only to ignore everything she said. It was not like Ororo did not have better things to do than to dedicate yet another one of her lunch breaks to listening to Jean plan her wedding. The thing was in May for goodness sakes, only four months away. She'd been engaged for almost eighteen months. Ororo still could not understand why she waited so late to decide on this and now Ororo was spending as much time 'planning' the wedding as the bride herself.
'Goddess, I'm being a tad too bitchy today.' she chided herself. In truth, she'd been annoyed well before she agreed to meet Jean for lunch in the den, sans lunch. If it wasn't her best friend grating on her nerves, it would have been someone else.
"Ororo, are you listening to a word I'm saying?" Jeans voice cut through her thoughts with a note of impatience.
"Hmmm. Oh, yes." she said after a moment, recalling Jean's sudden conversation shift from dress colors to floral arrangements. That particular aspect was the one detail the redhead seemed willing to put completely in her hands. She gave a small sigh though as she spoke. "You said you liked Calla lilies. They are a nice choice, but we really should get a firm idea on the dresses you want before we pick any flowers." She never imagined that the idea of handling flowers would give her a migraine, but she was beginning to get one.
"Well, anyway, I was thinking about maybe a few orchids and ....." Jean began, excitedly.
"S'cuse me ya'll." a voice interrupted for the entrance sending both heads turning simultaneously.
"I hate to bother you Ms. Grey...Ms. Munroe, but I was wondering if either of ya'll seen Logan around today?" Marie asked, poking her head through the door.
Ororo shook her head as Jean looked to her in question. "No. Not today." Jean said, thoughtfully.
"Dang it." Marie muttered, with a little frown.
"Is something bothering you, Marie?" Ororo asked the pretty young southerner.
"Not really. It's just that I ain't seen him since yesterday afternoon, right 'round the time you went out and I ain't heard nothing from him since."
Neither women were surprised, in the four months Logan had been back he'd already established the habit of staying out all night. Buy he always gave Rogue a clue as to where he was going.
"Did he say where he was going?" Jean asked.
"Naw, that's just it. He mumbled somethin' about goin' to town to get a part for his bike and then he shot outtah heah like a bat outtah hell.
'That was odd.' Ororo thought. But on second thought, Logan was an odd man anyway.
"I'm sure he'll come home soon." Jean suggested in reassurance. "You know how he gets. He may have just lost track of time."
Rogue shook her head, looking a little upset. "It ain't like Logan to lie tah me, Jean. I can't understand why he wouldn't have just told me he was goin' out."
"Perhaps it was a spur of the moment decision, Marie. I am certain he just forgot to call you." Ororo piped in assurance. But Marie was right. Logan did not lie, especially to her. "Do not worry child. He will be home shortly." she added compassionately. Marie was painfully attached to the man. She sincerely hoped Logan would never do something as foolish as lie to her. Watching Marie turn to leave the room, she decided to speak with the man to make sure he understood the girl's sensitivities towards him. She hid her grimace at the thought. Logan was a very difficult man to have a conversation with and it was not a task she looked forward too. Ororo resumed her patient smile and concentrated on enjoying her best friend's excited chatter.
***
{I'll take, Infamous Joe's for $800, Alex}
{Answer ~ He was born Djugashvili but preferred to be known as this, which means "Man of Steel.
"Who is Stalin?" Ororo mumbled, her heavy lids fluttering open as Alec Trebek's voice filtered through the sleepy haze her mind had become. She donated a half yawn, half laugh in tribute to the supposed history buff who goofed the simple question. Eyeing the TV with a blurry gaze, she frowned slightly. The returning champion was down almost $2500 dollars and she'd somehow missed it. In fact, she must have missed the whole show since suddenly Alex was mentioning the Final Jeopardy Round. She must have dozed off, Ororo realized belatedly. She'd been unusually tired during her last two classes but Goddess, it was only 4:30 in the afternoon.
Out of her peripheral vision, she caught a barely perceptible stirring behind her and glanced over her shoulder to see who her company was. Logan stood there in the doorway, his ever present scowl unreadable.
"Hello, Logan." she greeted, moving to sit up in attempt to shake the cobwebs from her mind. Goodness, it felt like she'd been drugged.
She waited for a full thirty seconds for return response and upon receiving none, she looked back again to see if he was still there. He was and she noticed he'd stepped further into the room. He wore his usual unfriendly countenance which Ororo was beginning to learn to overlook. Logan always looked mad at the world unless Jean or Marie was somewhere nearby. She briefly considered bringing up her concerns about Marie, but judging by the deepening scowl on his face she instead decided to ignore him. Perhaps he take the hint and realize she was not in the mood for one of his Scott tirades. For it was Scott who usually managed to induce that particular malignant glower. She secretly hoped that Scott finally chewed him out for taking off on his motorcycle again. Picking up the remote, she flipped through the channels as nonchalantly as she could.
"I have ta hand it to ya, Ro. Yer real damn good." she heard him say suddenly, the sound closer to her than it should have.
Giving a little startled gasp, her head whipped around to find him standing directly behind her
"What on earth are you talking about?" she asked, the wariness tickling her mind masked by her ever-present calm demeanor. Judging by the cold hardness in his eyes, she knew he was not referring to how she played Jeopardy. "Logan, what are you talking about?" she repeated sharply, her voice quieted somewhat by the sense of dread dancing around in the back of her mind.
She stiffened as he leaned down, his face mere inches from hers as he allowed his gaze to bore into hers. "I never would have guessed ya had it in you." he said ominously, disregarding her question.
Not only was he invading her personal space, something he never attempted with her before but he smelled like a liquor distillery. 'Could he be drunk?' she wondered. His gaze was clear and gravely focused, she noted. Besides it was physically impossible for him to get drunk, she reasoned. This was something else and although she did not want to consider the possibility, somehow he had to know her secret.
"Logan," she began carefully, "I have no idea what you are talking about or what your problem is, but perhaps you should go upstairs and sleep it off."
His features retained their harsh glare even as he gave a humorless snort. His eyes narrowed knowingly as he read the answering alarm in her brilliant blue eyes. "You know damn well what I'm talking about."
Ororo was off the couch in a flash, the remote slipping to the floor with a muffled sigh. She took no notice. She was too concerned with trying to silence the turbulent surge of panic rolling inside her. Taking several deep breaths as she moved to put more distance between her and his uncomfortably threatening presence, she managed to maintain her composure. "Logan, I would appreciate it if you would leave now and take your little games elsewhere." she said, feeling inordinately pleased that her words held no trace of the anxiety she felt.
Logan shot her a dark and unimpressed grin. "Fine by me, Sweetheart'." he agreed, moving towards the door. "I think I will go ahead and hit the sack."
So distracted by the emotional storm trying to brew its way the surface, Ororo barely heard his parting shot.
"You can join me if ya wanna."
Ororo sat down on the edge of the sofa long after he left, her caramel colored skin noticeably paler. 'Oh Goddess. What the hell am I going to do now.'
TBC
A/N: Folks, it will be a while before we hit actual NC-17 territory. Please be patient . Don't forget to R&R.. Thanx. ~Trilogy